U.S. stocks struggle to halt slide

MARKETWATCH FRONT PAGE

U.S. stocks clear much of Thursday�s losses, with the consumer-discretionary sector leading the way, after jobs data and results from retailers help lift sentiment. See full story.

Easter�s spring blessing for retailers� March

Retailers� March sales are boosted by warmer weather, an earlier arrival of Easter and a brighter spring assortment, though registers are likely to slow come April. See full story.

Everybody back to Gap?

Gap Inc. finally looks to be hitting its stride, writes Angela Moore. See full story.

Gap to get more teens ringing the register

While its target demographic may be those ages 25 to 40, the largest U.S. clothing chain may end up benefiting disproportionately from a recovery in teen spending on apparel, an analyst says. See full story.

U.S. jobless claims fall slightly to 357,000

Applications for U.S. unemployment benefits fall slightly last week and remain at a four-year low, the Labor Department says Thursday. See full story.

MARKETWATCH COMMENTARY

Instead of acknowledging that banks have become a part of government, we keep pretending they are private institutions, writes David Weidner. See full story.

MARKETWATCH PERSONAL FINANCE

Is the state that you have designs on retiring to tax friendly or not? And the basic questions to answer are these: How does the state tax your income? How does it tax your property and your consumption? And what�s the overall tax burden? See full story.