Retailer profits were one of the key drivers of economic growth this past quarter. But conspicuously absent from the rally are consumers' dollars. The Sharpie pen and rubber container maker Newell Rubbermaid (NWL) on Friday posted a better-than-expected profit as it announced job reductions and other cost-cutting measures. Revenue fell 1% to $1.54 billion in line with expectations. A week earlier, restaurant giant McDonald's (MCD) missed earnings,