Tag: Retail

US Retail Sales Rise Moderately; Economy Plodding Along

WASHINGTON—U.S. retail sales rose less than expected in June as receipts at service stations and building material stores declined, but consumers boosted or maintained spending elsewhere, which likely kept the economy on a solid growth path in the second quarter. Overall, the mixed report from the Commerce Department on Tuesday painted a picture of consumer…


Retail Sales Rose 0.3 Percent in May Despite Pressure From Higher Inflation and Interest Rates

NEW YORK—Americans increased their spending at retailers last month despite pressure from still-high inflation and rising borrowing costs. Thursday’s report from the Commerce Department showed that retail sales rose 0.3 percent from April to May, boosted by stronger sales of auto and parts dealers. Economists had been expecting a decline in sales for the month….


Double Standards on Aisle One

Commentary One of the funniest and most original Monty Python skits finds a man paying a receptionist to have an argument with one of her fellow office workers, who does this for a living. But he enters the wrong door. “This is abuse,” he is told by another employee whose job it is to insult…


US Retail Sales Fall More Than Expected in March

WASHINGTON—U.S. retail sales fell more than expected in March as consumers cut back on purchases of motor vehicles and other big ticket items, suggesting that the economy was losing steam at the end of the first quarter because of higher interest rates. Retail sales dropped 1.0 percent last month, the Commerce Department said on Friday….


‘Stubborn’ Food Inflation Leaves US Shoppers With Slim Appetite for Other Goods

As American shoppers stomach soaring food prices, they are cutting back on purchases of other goods, such as toys, clothing, and housewares, in a challenging trend for retailers. Commentary this week from executives at Walmart and other retailers shows how Americans are shifting their shopping habits and hunting for bargains in the face of the…


Tuesday Morning Becomes Latest US Retailer To Close Stores

Tuesday Morning, the beleaguered discount home goods retailer, will shutter more than half of its stores nationwide after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Feb. 14. The Dallas-based company confirmed that it will shutter 263 stores that are situated mainly in “low-traffic regions.” Tuesday Morning operates 487 stores with approximately 1,600 full-time and 4,700…


US Retail Sales Post Biggest Gain in Nearly 2 Years

WASHINGTON—U.S. retail sales increased by the most in nearly two years in January after two straight monthly declines as Americans boosted purchases of motor vehicles and other goods, pointing to the economy’s continued resilience despite higher borrowing costs. Coming on the heels of news on Tuesday that monthly inflation picked up in January, signs of…


Warehouse Data Show Inflation Could Roar Back With a Vengeance

The latest warehouse data are showing signs that inflation could come back with a vengeance this year. As U.S. markets await the latest release of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) on Feb. 12, logistics managers are warning of growing signs of inflation in the supply chain, which may financially hurt consumers. The CPI for December saw…


Walmart’s Sam’s Club Opening Dozens of New Locations Amid ‘Remarkable’ Sales Growth

Sam’s Club will be opening 30 new new locations amid strong sales growth over the next few years. Walmart, the nation’s largest retailer and the parent company of Sam’s Club, announced the move on Jan. 26, in its subsidiary’s first expansion since 2017, when it opened a location in Hanover, Pennsylvania. In 2018, the club…


Hybrid Working Keeps UK High Street Footfall 18 Percent Down on Pre-Pandemic Levels

Britain’s high streets have been hit hard by the shift to hybrid working patterns, with footfall 18 percent down on pre-pandemic levels last year, according to a report. There has been a slow but steady recovery, with footfall rising by 10.8 percent between May and December across all retail destinations compared with the same months…