Article Photos: Consumers, businesses give U.S. economy a pre-holiday lift

Shoppers rummage through a pile of sweaters on sale at a J.C. Penney store in Las Vegas. AP PHOTO <strong>Julie Jacobson - AP</strong>

Shoppers rummage through a pile of sweaters on sale at a J.C. Penney store in Las Vegas. AP PHOTO Julie Jacobson - AP