Last-minute purchases over the pre- Christmas weekend failed to salvage what may be the slowest- growing holiday spending season in five years. Sales at stores open more than 12 months rose 2.8 percent last week...Retailers began cutting prices today to clear out merchandise left over from the weekend spending surge Macy's Inc.'s Bloomingdale's offered as much as 75 percent off men's clothes, and Lord & Taylor advertised half-off prices for children's coats today. I say look for another rate cut at the end of January! :-)