I just read a post on the CRE blog Net Lease Nation talking about the upcoming holiday season. Apparently, Fitch Ratings is bullish on the retail sector:

Many companies across Fitch’s U.S. retail coverage have been managing inventory positions well. Gross margins have rebounded for those companies in the discretionary categories that were hit particularly hard during the 2008 holiday period. This, combined with strong cash flow management and the resolutions of liquidity issues for several companies, has resulted in an improved overall credit outlook.