Core Insights - Retailers are implementing various strategies to mitigate the negative impacts of inflation and tariffs on their businesses [1] Group 1: Strategies Employed by Retailers - Retailers are focusing on attracting wealthier customers to boost sales [1] - The use of celebrity advertisements is being leveraged to enhance brand appeal and drive consumer interest [1] - Some retailers are resorting to store closures as a strategy to streamline operations and reduce costs [1]

Small Business Saturday spending dropped sharply this year, with consumers prioritizing bargains over supporting local shops due to high inflation and low confidence. https://t.co/tMfUC1HdVD ...

Market Overview - U.S. stock market opened steady with major indexes showing mild movements, reflecting a mix of caution and optimism among investors [2][11] - The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose to 47,605.35, up 130.89 points or 0.28% [2][11] - The S&P 500 traded near record territory at 6,833.55, gaining 4.18 points or 0.06% [5][11] - The Nasdaq Composite slipped slightly to 23,397.85, down 15.83 points or 0.07% [5][11] Sector Performance - Trading remained active across tech, energy, and small-cap stocks, with several high-volume movers capturing early attention [11] - Ondas Holdings (ONDS) led activity with 27 million shares traded, falling to $7.82, down 3.16% [6] - Q/C Technologies (QCLS) soared 37.63% to $4.65 on heavy 26 million-share volume [6] - NVIDIA (NVDA) traded 23 million shares, dipping 0.73% to $180.14, with a yearly range from $86.62 to $212.19 [7] - NIO (NIO) slipped 1.89% to $4.93, trading near the middle of its yearly band [7] - Intel (INTC) slipped 1.32% to $42.90, remaining near the upper end of its $17.66–$43.98 range [8] Investor Sentiment - Investors remain cautious but engaged, closely monitoring inflation expectations, year-end portfolio rebalancing, and sector rotations [9][10] - The tech sector remains volatile, but broader market strength has kept major indexes near record levels [9] - Upcoming November jobs data and inflation readings are expected to be major market catalysts, influencing Federal Reserve policy [10]

Poland cut interest rates for the sixth time this year after inflation slowed more than expected and slipped below the central bank’s target https://t.co/GGqzJfSkZB ...

Inflation in the euro area will probably remain near the ECB's goal for the time being, though the outlook is still clouded by the situation around tariffs, according to President Lagarde https://t.co/fjwYi38yPy ...

We are approaching 8:15 a. m. and that means the November ADP private payroll figure is going to be upon us.That's less than 30 seconds away. Ahead of that, let's check the markets. We've been in the green all morning long, but right now the Dow futures are up near their highs, about 137 points above fair value.S&P futures up by close to 22, the Nasdaq indicated up by about 75. And if you've been watching Treasuries, you will see that uh the 10ear is sitting at 406. The 2-year is at 349.All right, ADP out w ...

Core Insights - US private employers experienced a loss of 32,000 jobs in November, indicating a stagnation in job creation, particularly affecting small businesses [1][2] - The hiring environment has been inconsistent, influenced by cautious consumer behavior and an uncertain macroeconomic landscape, with small businesses leading the decline in job creation [2][3] - Pay growth is also decelerating, with year-over-year pay for job-stayers rising by 4.4% in November, down from 4.5% in October, and job-changers seeing a decrease from 6.7% to 6.3% [4] Employment Trends - Job creation has been flat in the latter half of the year, with small businesses particularly struggling in November [1][2] - Manufacturing, construction, and professional services saw job losses, while education and health services added jobs, with gains primarily in mid-sized and large businesses [3] Economic Sentiment - The Federal Reserve's Beige Book indicates subdued labor demand, hiring freezes, and potential job displacement due to AI [5] - A significant portion of American workers, 69%, anticipate an increase in unemployment over the next year, reflecting a negative sentiment towards the job market [6]

Core Insights - The inflation faced by older Americans, as measured by the consumer price index (CPI), is often higher than the Social Security annual cost of living adjustment (COLA), leading to a gap that erodes purchasing power [1] - The upcoming COLA increase of 2.8% in January may not keep pace with the rising costs of essentials like groceries, medicine, and housing, which are estimated to increase by about 3.1% [1] - Only 22% of Americans aged 50 and above believe the COLA will be sufficient to cover their living expenses [1] Summary by Sections COLA Calculation Issues - The Social Security COLA is based on the CPI for urban wage earners and clerical workers (CPI-W), which does not accurately reflect the spending patterns of retirees [1] - Alternative measures like the CPI-E, which focuses on costs for individuals aged 62 and older, show that essential expenses such as healthcare and housing have been rising faster [1] - Over the past 25 years, the CPI-W has fallen short of the CPI-E in 18 out of 26 years, averaging 0.2% lower annually [1] Financial Impact on Retirees - Retirees who began collecting benefits in 1999 have lost nearly $5,000 in lifetime payments compared to what they would have received under the CPI-E [1] - For those retiring in 2024, the gap is projected to exceed $12,000 over a 25-year retirement [1] - Advocacy groups like AARP and TSCL have been pushing for a change in the inflation measure used for COLA calculations to better reflect the financial pressures faced by older Americans [1] Future Considerations - The 2.8% COLA for 2026 is viewed as insufficient, with a potential 3.1% increase if the CPI-E were used instead [1] - The 0.3% difference may seem minor but compounds over time, further eroding purchasing power in retirement [1] - Any change to the COLA calculation method would require federal legislative action, and failure to do so may worsen the situation for current and future retirees [1]

When Hasan Minhaj asked Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman whether voters should believe politicians who promise to “bring prices down,” Krugman was blunt. “Any politician who promises to bring prices way down is either ignorant or lying, or both,” he said on Minhaj’s podcast (1). Must Read It’s a blunt warning aimed squarely at the kind of sweeping affordability pledge Donald Trump has made central to his political brand. What Krugman is really saying about prices In the Minhaj interview, Kru ...

Chief Economist Philip Lane said the central bank's modeling showed markedly lower inflation for three years in response to a 10% gain in the euro's exchange rate. ...