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TOP STORIES:

RETAIL SALES -- Americans cut back on retail spending in October, ending six straight months of gains, though the decline was partly driven by falling prices for both gasoline and cars. Retail sales declined 0.1% last month after jumping a strong 0.9% in September, according to a report released Wednesday by the Commerce Department. By Christopher Rugaber and Anne D'Innocenzio. SENT.

APEC-BIDEN-XI -- President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping will meet Wednesday in California for talks on trade, Taiwan and managing fraught U.S.-Chinese relations in the first engagement between the leaders of the world's two biggest economies in a year. SENT.

With: APEC-CEO SUMMIT -- Spot coverage of the APEC CEO summit, which brings together company executives and political leaders. UPCOMING.

APEC-TRADE EXPLAINER -- The Biden administration is using this week's summit of Asian Pacific leaders to try to make progress on a trade agenda known as the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework. UPCOMING.

MARKETS & ECONOMY:

FINANCIAL MARKETS -- Wall Street is ticking higher Wednesday and adding a bit more to its big rally from a day before. By Stan Choe. SENT: 670 words, photos. UPCOMING: About 800 words by 4:30 p.m., photo.

CHINA ECONOMY -- China's economy showed more signs of reviving in October as retail sales and manufacturing picked up though the property sector remained sluggish, the government said Wednesday. SENT.

BRITAIN ECONOMY -- Inflation in the U.K. dropped sharply in October to its lowest level in two years, largely because last year's steep rise in domestic energy bills following Russia's invasion of Ukraine dropped out of the annual comparison, official figures showed Wednesday. SENT.

JAPAN ECONOMY -- Japan's economy contracted at a 2.1% annual pace in July-September as consumption and investment weakened, the government said Wednesday. SENT.

NONCOMPETE AGREEMENTS-NEW YORK -- A proposed ban on noncompete agreements has come under a fierce attack by business groups in New York. UPCOMING , By 9:15 a.m. EST.

EARNINGS:

TARGET-RESULTS -- Target y reported better-than-expected profits in its third quarter, benefiting from its efforts to hold down costs. Revenue slipped more than 4%, however, with customers absorbing higher prices everywhere. By Anne D'Innocenzio. SENT.

INDUSTRY:

AUTO WORKERS-CONTRACT VOTE -- The tentative contract agreement between General Motors and the United Auto Workers union appears to be headed for defeat. By Tom Krisher. SENT.

CLIMATE-BATTERY ANNOUNCEMENT -- The Energy Department is making a push to strengthen the U.S. battery supply chain, announcing up to $3.5 billion for companies that produce batteries and the critical minerals that go into them. SENT.

RENAULT-ELECTRIC-VEHICLES -- Automaker Renault is setting out ambitious goals for its new combined electric vehicle and software business, saying it will "democratize" the market for battery-powered cars in Europe by making them as affordable as gasoline- or diesel-powered models within the next several years. SENT, photo.

PERSONAL FINANCE:

ON THE MONEY-NERDWALLET-BNPL QUESTIONS HOLIDAY -- "Buy now, pay later" payment plans are a popular financing option, especially around the holiday season. But these payment plans, which divide your total purchase into a series of smaller installments that you pay back over weeks or months, aren't always the best choice for shoppers. By Jackie Veling of NerdWallet. SENT: 770 words, photo.

BEHIND THE WHEEL-USED CAR SHOPPING TIPS -- The past few years have been rough for used-vehicle buyers due to higher prices, less inventory and rising interest rates. Compared to what people normally expect to pay from buying used, it's fair to say the market has been discouraging. But there seems to be at least a dim light at the end of the tunnel according to Edmunds' latest Used Vehicle Report. SENT.

INTERNATIONAL:

EUROPE MIGRATION LABOR MARKET -- Contrary to the vision of a "Fortress Europe" to keep illegal migrants out, the European Union on Wednesday proposed to lower the drawbridge for targeted labor migration where the 27 nations can no longer find a local talent pool to fill essential jobs. SENT.

CUBA-SMALL BUSINESSES -- Dozens of tiny grocery stores have sprung up around Cuba in recent months. They sell everything from cooking oil and cookies to shampoo, jam and toilet paper. They even stock less basic, yet desirable items like Nutella or bubbly wine. But the prices are so high they are far from affordable for everyone. SENT.

MOROCCO-COBALT MINING -- A mining company owned primarily by Morocco's Royal Family denied claims made in a German newspaper that a cobalt mine used to make car batteries for BMW and Renault was emitting arsenic into local water supplies. UPCOMING.

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