英媒：美国迎来“K型圣诞”

Group 1: Economic Trends - The U.S. consumer spending is exhibiting a K-shaped pattern this Christmas, where affluent individuals are spending lavishly while many others struggle to make ends meet [1] - The S&P 500 index has risen nearly 86% over the past five years, with the wealthiest 1% owning nearly 50% of stock wealth, while the bottom 50% holds only 1.1% [2] - Inflation in the U.S. has increased from a recent low of 2.3% in April to 3% in September, and the unemployment rate has risen from 4% in January to 4.4% in September [2] Group 2: Corporate Performance - Delta Air Lines reports growth primarily driven by high-end cabin passengers, while Coca-Cola's revenue is boosted by expensive functional beverages [2] - McDonald's indicates that middle and low-income consumers are under significant pressure, with some even skipping breakfast [2] - Data from Bank of America shows that spending among low-income households has increased by only 0.7% year-over-year, while high-income households have seen a 2.7% increase [2] Group 3: Employment Market - The number of layoff announcements in the U.S. has exceeded 1.1 million this year, second only to the pandemic period, with small businesses being particularly vulnerable [3] - The ADP employment data indicates that over 32,000 jobs were cut in November, primarily from small businesses [3] - The rising unemployment rate among young people suggests a slow weakening of the labor market [3] Group 4: Consumer Behavior - A survey by the National Retail Federation shows that 85% of consumers expect prices to rise due to tariffs [3] - The "buy now, pay later" method has become mainstream for holiday shopping, with expected spending using this method reaching $20.2 billion, an 11% increase from the previous year [3]