Article Photos: Confident consumers give US retail sales a lift



  In this Sept. 24, 2012, photo, Jessica McEntee looks through dresses while shopping at a clothing boutique in Cambridge, Mass. Shoppers spent 5.6 percent more in September than last year at small retailers, which represents the slowest year-over-year growth so far in 2012 as the tough economy weighs on Americans. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

In this Sept. 24, 2012, photo, Jessica McEntee looks through dresses while shopping at a clothing boutique in Cambridge, Mass. Shoppers spent 5.6 percent more in September than last year at small retailers, which represents the slowest year-over-year growth so far in 2012 as the tough economy weighs on Americans. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)