Looking for bargains

Shoppers hit Sikeston retail stores in full force on Saturday morning to catch post-Christmas sales. Above, some search for deals in the holiday section. Holiday shoppers spent a little more this season, according to data released Monday, giving merchants some reason for cheer. The spending bounce means retailers managed to avoid a repeat of last year's disaster even amid tight credit and double-digit unemployment, the Associated Press reported. Profits should be healthier, too, because stores had a year to plan their inventories to match consumer demand and never needed to resort to fire-sale clearances.