US firms grapple with economic divide as lower income struggles mount

By Juveria Tabassum and Niket Nishant (Reuters) -U.S. companies across industries are feeling the squeeze from the deepening split between lower-income and affluent consumers as tariffs pile on more uncertainty. Executives at bellwethers such as Coca-Cola, along with toymakers, hoteliers and financial-service providers have noted how lower-income households are canceling or delaying purchases, exposing a hidden belt-tightening even as affluent consumers keep U.S. spending afloat. "There is bifurcation i ...