You've no doubt seen the headlines and the commentary:
Consumer spending is up, but not on what was expected, especially those publicly-traded chains that must report quarterly.
- "Retailers Stumble Adjusting to More Selective Shoppers" *
- "Consumers Uneven Spending Fuels Caution Among Retailers" **
Consumer spending is up, but not on what was expected, especially those publicly-traded chains that must report quarterly.
- "As people watched the prices of food and gas rise, their spending became more selective, leaving retailers with shelves of inventory they couldn’t get rid of." *
- "Although some consumers are cutting spending on goods, it is being accompanied by increased spending on services," according to Mark Zandi, chief economist of Moody's Analytics. **