WBRZ - Baton Rouge

U.S. retailers and analysts will be closely watching September sales reports due on Thursday for signs of what lies ahead for the holiday shopping season.

Retailers are planning bargains to lure thrifty holiday shoppers, but some expect the Christmas season sales to be flat or even worse, dropping 1 percent from last year.

On Friday, the Labor Department provides more employment data with its job openings report and labor turnover survey for August.