The doughty American shopper is being pummelled by four things: the housing bust, the credit crunch, higher fuel and food costs and, most recently, a weakening labour market.

• 无畏的美国消费者当头迎来大棒：房价下跌，信贷萎缩，油价、食品价格高飘，再加之最近暗淡的就业状况。