Kaomi Goetz

U.S. retailers are looking to add more than 700,000 jobs this holiday season — about the same as last year. But retailers may have a harder time filling those jobs because of a shrinking labor pool.

Heavy rains have damaged much of the crop in the Midwest. Canned pumpkin giant Libby's says there should be enough to fill your pies for Thanksgiving, but after that, things will be tight.

Colt, a brand name Americans have known since 1855, is headed for bankruptcy. The company will keep operating as it sorts out its debts, but a big chunk of manufacturing history hangs in the balance.

Younger workers are likely to find more job opportunities and better wages. But still, it's tough out there. The May unemployment rate for teens was 17.9 percent, about triple the national average.

Travelers will find gasoline prices are down considerably from last Thanksgiving. But consumer confidence is slumping too. So AAA, the auto club, says it expects to see a dip in holiday travel, compared with 2012.