January retail sales figures are often dragged down by the post-holiday shopping "hangover." Consumers are shopped out after the holidays, and, even though they offer deep discounts, stores often struggle to lure them back. Madison Riley, a retail strategist at Kurt Salmon, says retailers had a surprisingly good January, especially when you consider headwinds such as unemployment and stagnant wages are still factors. And the Daily Pulse is down today on the fear we may set a new record this summer at the pump. The Department of Energy announced the average price of a gallon of gas rose to $3.51 yesterday. It's the first time ever gas prices have been that high before March.