Many electronic makers have come to the market with aggressive cost-cutting plans and incentive to gain back consumer dollars, as the global outlook for the market shows signs of improvement.

• Although Playstation maker Sony posted fourth-quarter losses, the company’s latest results beat analysts’ forecasts by a wide margin, reports Hiroko Tabuchi for The New York Times.

• Samsung Electronic is still the ruler; the performance of other companies couldn’t match the world’s largest maker of televisions. Samsung said profits in the most recent quarter had tripled to a record $3.14 billion as it capitalized on investment in new panel technologies and marketing. It also got a boost from a weak won, which gave it the ability to undercut Sony’s prices.

• Panasonic notched its first profit in a year as sales of DVD recorders and household appliances showed some recovery. It’s now betting on batteries for hybrid and electric cars by merging with Sanyo.

Who can grab the most market share by cost cutting and appealing to consumers?

For more stories about consumer discretionary, visit our consumer discretionary category.

• PowerShares FTSE RAFI Japan (NYSEArca: PJO): down 1.1%; holds 2.8% of Sony

• SPDR S&P International Cons Disc Sector (NYSEArca:IPD): up 55% year-to-date; holds 2.2% Sony

• iShares S&P Global Technology (NYSEArca: IXN): up 38.2% year-to-date; holds 4.2% Samsung

• iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Index (NYSEArca: EEM): up 64.5% year-to-date; holds4.3% Samsung

• iShares MSCI South Korea (NYSEArca: EWY): up 63.4% year-to-date; Samsung, 19.1%

• WisdomTree International Technology Sector Fund (NYSEArca: DBT): up 18.9% year-to-date; Panasonic is 6.2%

Christina Cheddar Berk for CNBC says it will be inevitable that retailers are going to see lower holiday sales growth than the past year. An estimated 2.2% year-over-year sales gain just isn’t enough. The traditional Black Friday is only days away and retailers have already slashed their prices. Will shoppers even be interested?

While retailers are slashing prices left and right, bargain hunters are scooping up deals. The retailer does not want to be left with extra inventory at the end of the buying season, however, some insiders think many retailers are holding back their most wanted merchandise for the Black Friday sale day, reports Donna Kato for MercuryNews.com.

So even if Black Friday and the holiday season isn’t in favor of the retail sector, there are lots of upgrades to be had, such as that new plasma TV or the wardrobe makeover you’ve wanted. Sandra M. Jones for The Chicago Tribune reports that many are up against the economic drawbacks that may lead them to closing their wallets despite the bargains. Retailers always tend to do well on Black Friday, however, the early onslaught of sales may have stolen the day’s thunder.

• Claymore/Robb Report Global Luxury (ROB), down 59.6% year-to-date

• SPDR S&P International Consumer Discretionary (IPD), down 35.2% since Aug. 25 inception

This brings the Spider line to include 80 ETFs, with 31 of those focused on global access to international markets. The new offerings enter a market space that WisdomTree had been cornering.

Why would you choose one or the other? As Gary Gordon for ETF Expert says: it’s a matter of preference. State Street’s funds have a traditional market-cap weighted methodology. WisdomTree’s funds have a dividend-weighted index methodology. Dividends in the WisdomTree funds will come annually, while State Street’s will be quarterly.

The expense ratio for the State Street funds is set at 0.5%, while the WisdomTree funds come in at 0.58%.

The 10 new ETFs are are international sector SPDRs and they give access to investments outside the U.S. benchmarked to a series of S&P World ex-US Broad Market Indices. The following ETFs are market-cap weighted, include only non-U.S. holdings, and use the Global Industry Classification Standard, or GICS.

The ETFs are:

• SPDR S&P International Consumer Discretionary Sector (IPD)
• SPDR S&P International Consumer Staples (IPS)
• SPDR S&P International Financial Sector (IPF)
• SPDR S&P International Health Care Sector (IRY)
• SPDR S&P International Industrial Sector (IPN)
• SPDR S&P International Materials Sector (IRV)
• SPDR S&P International Technology Sector (IPK)
• SPDR S&P International Telecommunications Sector (IST)
• SPDR S&P International Utilities Sector (IPU)
• SPDR S&P International Energy Sector (IPW)

WisdomTree’s funds launched Oct. 13, 2006 and they are:

• WisdomTree International Basic Materials Sector (DBN)
• WisdomTree International Communications Sector (DGG)
• WisdomTree International Consumer Discretionary Sector (DPC)
• WisdomTree International Consumer Staples Sector (DPN)
• WisdomTree International Energy Sector (DKA)
• WisdomTree International Financial Sector (DRF)
• WisdomTree International Health Care Sector (DBR)
• WisdomTree International Industrial Sector (DDI)
• WisdomTree International Technology Sector (DBT)
• WisdomTree International Utilities Sector (DBU)