There is such a slew of conflicting indicators and commentary on the economy swirling around these days that it may be hard to get a grip on how the consumer is doing.Walmart Inc. WMT, the world’s largest retailer, beat Wall Street forecasts for second-quarter profits and sales as it posted $4.5 billion in net profit, down from$7.89 billion a year ago, and $169 million in revenue, up from$162 million in revenue a year earlier.It also raised its full-year outlook by forecasting revenue to increase from 3.7 ...