U.S. economy keeps up the momentum ahead of holiday shopping season, S&P finds

The U.S. economy got off to a good start in the fourth quarter, a pair of S&P surveys found, and pointed toward steady growth at the tail end of the year.

Business - MarketWatch - October 24

Retail sales climb again ahead of holiday shopping season. U.S. economy still has momentum.

Sales at retailers rose solidly in October and suggested the economy still has plenty of momentum heading into the holiday shopping season.

Business - MarketWatch - 6 days ago

Walmart Stock Rises on Strong Earnings Ahead of Holiday Shopping Season

The bellwether retailer reported higher-than-expected sales in its latest quarter and upgraded its forecast for the rest of the year.

Business - The New York Times - 2 days ago

Target Stock Plunges After Weak Earnings Report Ahead of Holiday Season

The retailer’s downbeat earnings report, which included lower profit and larger inventory, fell far short of Wall Street’s expectations.

Business - The New York Times - 21 hours ago

Retailers brace for DEI blowback in lead-up to election, holiday shopping season

Some companies are concerned about attending public DEI events while others are strategizing on how to avoid criticism over their policies and programs.

Business - CNBC - November 4

Mortgage rates inch up toward 7% ahead of the holiday season. Don’t expect a big drop anytime soon.

The 30-year mortgage rate is averaging 6.84%, Freddie Mac said in its latest weekly survey on Thursday.

Business - MarketWatch - 1 hour ago

Mattel, Hasbro lower guidance ahead of holiday season

Toy giants Mattel and Hasbro decreased 2024 guidance prior to the holiday season as toy sales continue to fall during the third quarter.

Business - CNBC - October 24

Retailers Stock Supersize TVs Ahead of Holiday Season

In Q4, giant TV sales see a marked holiday boom.

Business - Inc. - November 4

4 retail stocks that look good even if the holiday shopping season is soft

Wall Street research firm Telsey Advisory Group is upbeat on Costco, Amazon, Best Buy and TJX Companies.

Business - CNBC - November 2

Shopify’s stock heads for best day ever on upbeat holiday forecast

A Shopify executive says the company’s latest results showed “continued discipline of balancing both future growth investment and operational leverage.”

Business - MarketWatch - November 12

Mattel Braces for Flat Toy Sales Ahead of Holiday Season

Mattel, the company behind Barbie doesn’t anticipate a high holiday sales season this year.

Business - Inc. - October 23

Hori's Official Steam Controller Is Up For Preorder At Amazon Ahead Of Holiday Release

Wireless Horipad for Steam (Officially Licensed) $60 | Releases December ...

Tech - GameSpot - November 6

Economy on track to keep growing despite eighth straight decline in key gauge

The leading indicators of the U.S. economy fell for the eighth month in a row in October, but there’s still no sign the current four-year-old expansion is in trouble.

Business - MarketWatch - 2 hours ago

Saks Fifth Avenue's holiday light display in Manhattan changing up this season

Dazzling displays of synchronized lights on the facade of Saks Fifth Avenue’s flagship store in midtown Manhattan have thrilled holiday visitors for years

Entertainment - ABC News - November 12

Jobless claims drop to 7-month low as economy plows ahead

he number of Americans who applied for unemployment benefits last week fell to the lowest level in seven months, reflecting steady growth in the economy and the need for most businesses to remain ...

Business - MarketWatch - 4 hours ago

'Slow shopping' can save you money this holiday season. Here’s how it works

The trend toward making more mindful buying decisions can help you avoid impulse purchases and debt over the peak shopping season.

Business - CNBC - October 31

Barbie boom fades at Mattel, but Hot Wheels — and adult collectors — are on an upswing

Mattel Inc. reported mixed third-quarter results, as a drop in demand for Barbie toys weighed on sales overall — but management said it expects a solid holiday season ahead and a toy-centric film ...

Business - MarketWatch - October 24

Workplace flexibility is helping Americans take longer trips this holiday season, report finds

More travelers plan to work remotely at least once during their holiday vacations this year, a survey found.

Business - CNBC - 4 days ago

Workplace flexibility is helping Americans take longer trips this holiday season, report finds

Americans are determined to travel this holiday season — and certain workarounds are helping them take those trips.

Israel keeps up fierce Lebanon bombardment and awaits Hezbollah response on truce proposal

BEIRUT — An Israeli airstrike flattened a building near one of Beirut’s busiest traffic junctions Friday, shaking the Lebanese capital as Israel kept up its intensified bombardment even as ...

Catch Up On Yellowstone Ahead Of Season 5 With This Box Set Deal

Yellowstone: The Dutton Legacy Collection - Limited Edition Gift Set (Blu-ray) $76 (was ...

Tech - GameSpot - October 30

Main engine of U.S. economy posts fastest growth in more than two years, ISM finds

Service-oriented companies such as retailers and restaurants grew in October at the fastest pace in more than two years, a survey found, and offered further evidence of strong momentum in the U.S. ...

Business - MarketWatch - November 5

S&P 500 eclipses 6,000 and Dow surpasses 44,000. Here’s why stocks could keep climbing.

Stocks scored milestones on Monday, pushed higher by optimism about Donald Trump’s second term as president and by last week’s interest-rate cut by the Federal Reserve.

Business - MarketWatch - November 11

Micron tops list of 20 biggest winners in the S&P 500 this earnings season

Other companies showing very high sales growth with improving profit margins include BlackRock and Eli Lilly.

Business - MarketWatch - November 8

Morgan Stanley finally turns bullish on U.S. stocks as it says the S&P 500 could jump as high as 7,400

Better late than never? Morgan Stanley says it’s now overweight U.S. stocks.

Business - MarketWatch - 3 days ago

Can they keep up the laughs at a gloomy time? Mythic Quest returns for Season 4

Apple TV+ today announced that the fourth season of its hit comedy Mythic Quest will debut on January 29.

Tech - VentureBeat - November 14

3 Holiday Shopping Trends to Improve Customer Experience

Prepare your customer service team for the holiday rush with these insights.

Business - Inc. - 6 days ago

Walmart Earnings: Holiday Shopping Is Off to a Strong Start

The retailer said sales rose during the most recent quarter, propelled by shoppers buying groceries, home goods and toys—a sign that spending is off to a steady start this holiday season.

Business - The Wall Street Journal - Yesterday

S&P 500 bounces as stocks’ bull-market cycle seen potentially speeding up in 2025

The S&P 500 has bounced from its drop last week, a decline that had eroded its U.S. election bump without knocking the index off course toward a potentially big 2024 gain.

Business - MarketWatch - Yesterday

Another bullish call for stocks in 2025. Wells Fargo raises S&P 500 target on strong economy, Trump’s policy changes.

Another Wall Street firm is increasing its S&P 500 target for next year, with a view that stocks are poised to extend their bull-market run to at least the end of 2025

Business - MarketWatch - 20 hours ago

Echoes of U.K.’s 2022 bond crisis weigh on Treasury market ahead of U.S. election

A selloff in the U.K. bond market on Thursday, triggered by concerns about planned government borrowing, sent the country’s yields higher in a manner slightly reminiscent of the 2022 gilt crisis ...

Business - MarketWatch - October 31

Walmart Holiday Shopping Plans Are Laid Months Before Black Friday

To prepare for ever-longer shopping season, thousands of employees were assembled for a retail jamboree in Florida’s August heat.

Business - The New York Times - October 31

Discounters Like Burlington, T.J. Maxx Expected to Win Holiday-Shopping Wars

Investors can expect a bleak outlook for department stores that have struggled to provide consumers with the value they’re looking for, but discounters such as T.J. Maxx, Ross Dress for Less and ...

Business - The Wall Street Journal - October 31

5 Great Ways to Stand Out This Holiday Season

A couple of simple steps to having a great holiday selling season.

Business - Inc. - November 13

Is gold still worth buying this holiday season?

With the price of gold high, some buyers may be considering skipping it this holiday season. Here's what to consider.

Latest in U.S. economy keeps up the momentum ahead of holiday shopping season, S&P finds