. >> all that ahead, but first here is scott wapner with a look at the headlines. >> thanks. here is what is ahead on wall street. a crucial weekend for retailers, the unofficial start to the holiday season. it used to begin on black friday, the day businesses went from being in the red to being in the black. but now some stores are opening their doors to bargain hunters on thanksgiving day. many analysts think it will be a strong season, important because consumers make up about 70% of the u.s. economy. even though much of the economy is weak, american businesses set a record for profits last quarter. they earned $1.6 trillion according to the commerce department, the highest number since the government began keeping track of such things. analysts say the growth is partly due to increases in productivity and expansion in emerging markets. >>> the markets had a grim start in a holiday-shortened week, mixed on monday and then tumbling on tuesday on concerns about european debt and concerns about tension in korea. the markets rebounded later in the week. >>> a divided federal r