Business_Finance

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A proposal to add a nickel tax for shopping bags in Prince George's County was killed in a House committee. (Associated Press)

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New Jersey forward Kris Humphries answered Wizards fans' boos with 21 points and 16 rebounds. (Associated Press)

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Widad Parsons, of Ashburn, Va., left, sips coffee while taking a break as a weary shopper naps nearby at the Tysons Corner Center mall in McLean, Va., on Dec. 26, 2011. The National Retail Federation projected this years' holiday sales to be up 3 percent over last year, but the Tysons mall is up 4 percent over last year's sales figures for the Black Friday to Christmas Eve period. (T.J. Kirkpatrick/ The Washington Times)

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Shoppers head to their cars at the Tysons Corner Center mall in McLean, Va. (T.J. Kirkpatrick/ The Washington Times)

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Shoppers file through Macy's at the Tysons Corner Center mall in McLean, Va., for returns and after-Christmas sales on Dec. 26, 2011. (T.J. Kirkpatrick/ The Washington Times)

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Shoppers walk among Christmas decorations in the Tysons Corner Center mall in McLean, Va., for returns and after-Christmas sales. Tysons Corner Center reports a 10 percent jump in foot traffic compared to last year's holiday season. (T.J. Kirkpatrick/ The Washington Times)

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Shoppers crowd the Tysons Corner Center mall in McLean, Va. on Dec. 26, 2011. The National Retail Federation projected this years' holiday sales to be up 3 percent over last year, but the Tysons mall is up 4 percent over last year's sales figures for the Black Friday to Christmas Eve period. (T.J. Kirkpatrick/ The Washington Times)

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Sears Holdings Corp. has its headquarters in Hoffman Estates, Ill. (Associated Press)

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Widad Parsons, of Ashburn, Va., left, sips coffee while taking a break as a weary shopper naps nearby at the Tysons Corner Center mall in McLean, Va., on Dec. 26, 2011. The National Retail Federation projected this years' holiday sales to be up 3 percent over last year, but the Tysons mall is up 4 percent over last year's sales figures for the Black Friday to Christmas Eve period. (T.J. Kirkpatrick/ The Washington Times)

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Outside groups on both sides are spending millions of dollars on Massachusetts' high-profile U.S. Senate race between Republican Sen. Scott P. Brown and Democratic challenger Elizabeth Warren (seen here). The level of spending foreshadows the role such groups will play in many of next fall's big political matchups. (Associated Press)

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Outside groups on both sides are spending millions of dollars on Massachusetts' high-profile U.S. Senate race between Republican Sen. Scott P. Brown (seen here) and Democratic challenger Elizabeth Warren. The level of spending foreshadows the role such groups will play in many of next fall's big political matchups. (Associated Press)

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FILE - In this Dec. 20, 2011 file photo, specialist Jennifer Klesaris and trader Gregory Rowe work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. Global stocks advanced Friday, Dec. 23, 2011, on further signs the U.S. economy is improving, but trading activity was muted as the traditional holiday slowdown began in earnest. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)

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** FILE ** In this Nov. 25, 2011, file photo, shoppers scramble for door buster deals at Target, in Bowling Green, Ky. U.S. consumers spent at a lackluster rate in November as their incomes barely grew, suggesting that U.S. households may struggle to sustain their spending into 2012. (AP Photo/Daily News, Joe Imel, File)

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District Mayor Vincent C. Gray said "opinions always matter" and "we take them seriously," but he is proud of accomplishments such as the fiscal year 2012 budget and sustainability efforts that will stretch into the new year. (Andrew Harnik/The Washington Times)

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The Justice Department said it will allow a merger between the New York Stock Exchange and Deutsche Boerse AG that would create the world's largest stock exchange operator, pending the sale of a third, smaller American stock exchange operator. (The Associated Press)