Business news with words analysts+department+earnings. 4 news.

WALL Street paused from its big rally yesterday, with stocks closing narrowly mixed after the government's November labor report showed tepid job growth as well as a pickup in inflation. The major indexes ended the week higher, with the Dow Jones industrials having gained nearly 900 points over nine trading days. The Labor Department reported 94,000 jobs were added to payrolls in November and that the unemployment rate held steady at 4.7 percent. Thomson/IFR analysts had set a median projection of 100,000 new jobs. The report also showed that average hourly earnings increased 0.5 percent in November, compared with forecasts for a more-modest 0.3 percent. The report at least temporarily chilled a rally that has left the Dow only 538 points, or 3.8 percent, below the record close it reached on October 9. "I'd call it an employment letdown," said Jack A. Ablin, chief investment officer at Harris Private Bank. "A little air came out of the party balloon."

NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- Macy's Inc. swung to a third-quarter profit of $33 million, or 8 cents a share, from a year-earlier loss of $3 million, or 1 cent a share. Excluding May Co. merger integration costs of $17 million, earnings for the period were 10 cents a share. The Cincinnati department store chain operator said revenue for the thirteen weeks ended Nov. 3 rose less than 1% to $5.91 billion from $5.89 billion during the year-ago period. On average, analysts polled by Thomson Financial expected earnings of 7 cents a share on revenue of $5.9 billion. Macy's expects earnings, excluding items, of $1.70 to $1.80 a share for the fourth-quarter. The company expects same-store sales in the range of down 2% to up 1% for the fourth-quarter and expects November same-store sales to be "significantly" higher and December to be "below last year." Macy's expects total sales for the fourth quarter of $8.7 billion to $8.9 billion. The company expects same-store sales to be down 0.3% to 1.3% for the year. Total sales for the year are expected at $26.4 billion to $26.6 billion.

NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- Kohl's Corp.'s October same-store sales fell 3.8%, hurt by "significant declines" in weather-sensitive businesses such as outerwear, fleece and sweaters. On average, analysts polled by Thomson Financial predicted an October same-store sales increase of 0.5%. The Wisconsin department store chain's total sales for the four-week period ended Nov. 3 rose 1.6% to $1.27 billion over the four-week period ended Oct. 28, 2006. Based on October's results, Kohl's expects third-quarter earnings in the range of 59 cents to 60 cents a share.

US stocks rose for a fifth straight week, the longest stretch of gains since May, after minutes from the Federal Reserve and better-than-expected retail sales bolstered hopes that the economy will keep expanding. Wal-Mart Stores Inc, the world's largest retailer, climbed to a two-month high after boosting its third-quarter profit forecast. Yum! Brands Inc, owner of the Pizza Hut and Taco Bell restaurant chains, jumped the most since September 2005 on earnings that topped analysts' estimates. Exxon Mobil Corp, the biggest oil company, led a gauge of energy shares to a record after crude prices rose to an all-time high. Minutes from the Fed's September 18 policy meeting showed central bankers avoided language that might have suggested the economy would fall into a recession. The Commerce Department said retail sales added 0.6 percent last month, from the 0.2 percent gain predicted by analysts in a Bloomberg News survey. "The consumer is a staying force, earnings growth is