Discounts keep on coming

Looks like many of the big retailers are not letting go of those sale prices from the Thanksgiving weekend. The WSJ's HolidaySales blog notes that Kohl's, Sears and Aeropostale have kept their 50 percent off sales this week. Macy's is advertising 10-50 percent off, while J.C. Penney slashed prices by up to 60 percent on outerwear and home furnishings. Toys R Us is offering $10 off a Barbie-store order of $50 or more. Normally, retailers pull back a little on sales after the big weekend. The discounts could mean one of two things: Either the bears are right and the holiday season is shaping up to be disappointing (Wal-Mart's weak November could be a sign) or retailers are adeptly orchestrating what items to discount and at what price - without eating too much into margins. Or maybe it's both.