Retail sales

The U.S. Census Bureau will release June retail sales data this morning. We already know that consumer spending is strong right now due in part to a tight labor market and inflation. But how are consumers financing their current spending spree and what are they spending on, exactly? Click the audio player above to hear the […]

We got some number today hot off the keyboards of the folks at the Commerce Department. They show that retail spending in January was lower than December by 0.3 percent. That dip was notable because the consensus was actually that it would be slighter higher. A drop when you’re expecting an increase, that turned some […]

Seems like every time you turn around, another department store chain is closing locations and laying off people – Macy’s, Sears, J.C. Penney — and these are just the biggies. Since January, nearly 61,000 jobs have been eliminated in the retail sector. What kinds of jobs are being lost? And where are these workers going?  Click […]

In a financial filing on Tuesday, Sears said “substantial doubt exists related to the company’s ability to continue as a going concern.” The announcement hit the company’s shares hard. Sears reported a loss of more than $2 billion in 2016. What does this disclosure mean for the retailer and is there any hope of a […]