Retail sales rose 0.7% in September, much stronger than estimate
Consumers showed surprising strength in September, boosting retail sales well above expectations despite high interest rates and worries over a weakening economy. Retail sales rose 0.7% on the month, well above the 0.3% Dow Jones estimate, according to the advance report the Commerce Department released Tuesday. Gas station sales helped propel the headline number, rising […]
Retail sales report July 2023:
Consumer spending held up well in July as inflation slowed, with retail sales turning in a stronger-than-expected showing for the month, the Commerce Department reported Tuesday. The advanced retail sales report showed a seasonally adjusted increase of 0.7% for the month, better than the 0.4% Dow Jones estimate. Excluding autos, sales rose a robust 1%, […]
Do “Clearance” Sales Deceive? – Econlib
Department stores almost always have sales and clearances. These clearances may present themselves broadly as some kind of promotion, like “30% off all shirts,” or “everything up to 40% off!”; or, they may appear as simple tag-price changes. Many interpret these discounts as deception; stores want you to think you’re getting a sale, when in […]
Bud Light’s Sales Implosion, Explained (by Mises)
I stopped drinking Bud Light decades ago, so when the Dylan Mulvaney controversy exploded last month, I didn’t need to consider if I’d stop drinking Anheuser-Busch’s most popular product. What’s clear is that many others have decided to quit the beer over the brand’s decision to wade into transgender politics. According to figures reported in […]
Retail sales April 2023:
A shopper browses shirts at a clothing store in Atlanta, Georgia, US, on Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2023. Dustin Chambers | Bloomberg | Getty Images Consumers barely kept up with inflation in April, as retail sales increased but fell short of expectations, the Commerce Department reported Tuesday. The advanced sales report showed an increase of 0.4%, […]
Wholesale prices post decline of 0.1%, retail sales fall
A customer looks over merchandise at a store on March 14, 2023 in Miami, Florida. Joe Raedle | Getty Images Wholesale prices posted an unexpected decline in February, providing some encouraging news on inflation as the Federal Reserve weighs its next move on interest rates. The producer price index fell 0.1% for the month, against […]
Retail sales jump 3% in January, smashing expectations despite inflation increase
Sales at retailers rose far more than expected in January as consumers persevered despite rising inflation pressures. Advance retail sales for the month increased 3%, compared with expectations for a rise of 1.9%, the Commerce Department reported Wednesday. Excluding autos, sales rose 2.3%, according to the report, which is not adjusted for inflation. The ex-autos […]
Wholesale prices fell 0.5% in December, much more than expected; retail sales fall
Prices for wholesale goods and services fell sharply in December, providing another sign that inflation, while still high, is beginning to ease. The producer price index, which measures final demand prices across hundreds of categories, declined 0.5% for the month, the Labor Department reported Wednesday. Economists surveyed by Dow Jones had been looking for a […]
Sales fall 0.6% as consumers feel pressure from inflation
Consumers pulled back on spending in November, failing to keep up with even a muted level of inflation for the month, the Commerce Department reported Thursday. Retail sales for the month declined 0.6%, even worse than the Dow Jones estimate for a 0.3% drop. The number is not adjusted for inflation as gauged by the […]
