While retail data reported at the mid-summer mark pointed to a strong labor market, steady consumer spending in certain categories and retail sales up from last year for several straight months, the data only tells one side of the story. The numbers are merely inching forward, as growth across many sectors has been sluggish, if not altogether fl at. This year has unexpectedly been a mixed bag for the retail and credit market, and with continued volatility and an overall lackluster economic forecast, businesses and lenders must be prepared for any scenario.