Business and Finance
Retail sales rose a strong 1.9% in December, further evidence the economy ended 1985 on solid footing. Much of the rise was due to a 5.7% gain in auto sales, aided by new incentive programs. Even without autos, retail sales rose 0.9%.</br></br>New-car sales slipped 8.3% in early January, leading some analysts to speculate that some sales that normally would have been recorded in January were counted in December.</br></br>---</br></br>Bond prices rose strongly despite the robust retail sales report, snapping out of a four-day slump. Treasury bond futures prices closed higher for the first time since Jan. 7. The stock market was little changed.</br></br>---