Joining me now is Bill Simon, former Walmart US president and CEO. Bill, it's great to have you here. Give me a little bit of your thesis on why you think the consumer is in control.>> Hey Courtney, good to see you again. Yeah, I mean, look, the consumer's, you know, pretty flush right now. Nominal wages are up 4%.The inflation report today was relatively tame. There's been a lot of, you know, dark news about tariff this and tariff that and, you know, it is a bit of a roller coaster. It's on, it's off, it's ...

Consumer Sentiment and Behavior - The consumer is currently in a strong position, with nominal wages up by 4% [1][18] - Despite concerns about tariffs and inflation, consumer spending is expected to remain robust during the holiday season [2][17] - Consumers are becoming more value-conscious, leading to a trend of trading down to private label products or alternatives [4][5] Retailer Strategies - Retailers like Target and Kohl's are focusing on private label offerings to cater to consumers looking for lower-cost options [3][4] - There is a notable shift in hiring practices, with Target announcing layoffs of about 8% of corporate staff, indicating a cautious approach to holiday staffing [8][10] - Retailers are leveraging technology and online sales to adapt to changing consumer behaviors, which may reduce the need for in-store staffing [11] Pricing and Inflation Impact - Retailers are managing the impact of tariffs and inflation through various strategies, which helps mitigate price increases for consumers [12][15] - Specific product prices are rising due to tariffs, but retailers like Walmart have managed to lower the overall cost of holiday staples, such as Thanksgiving dinner [15][16] - The overall impact of tariffs on consumer spending is estimated to be manageable, with potential increases in prices being offset by wage growth [18]

Lut, which nobody has ever heard of. >> The sun is rising over the Tatsani district of Msero, the capital of Lutu. The smoke rising from the textile factories signals the workday has begun, but only for the lucky few.Cutting fabric, sewing seams, making clothes for the western world. Many of these workers make as little as $1,800 a year. Outside the factory, a crowd is building of locals hoping to find work.>> Any kind of job in the factory, they will accept it. began to feel the effects of President Trump' ...

Shares of footwear maker Deckers Brands plunged more than 12% Friday after the company trimmed its sales guidance for Hoka and Ugg — the two brands driving its growth — over concerns that tariffs are leading to a slide in demand.Hoka, an up-and-coming running shoe brand, is now expected to grow by a low-teens percentage in fiscal 2026 after growing 24% in the year-ago period, while Boots brand Ugg is expected to grow in the range of a low to mid single-digit percentage, after growing 13% in the year-ago per ...

Trade Relations - US President abruptly terminated trade negotiations with Canada [1] - The termination was due to objections to a Canadian-made ad criticizing tariffs [1] - Tensions rose after the US imposed tariffs on imports from Canada earlier this year [2] - Canada accounts for over 400 billion USD in goods coming into the US [2] Economic Impact - The US President touted his trade war, stating "Thank God for tariffs" [2] - The President believes that without tariffs, the US would be a third world nation [2]

You see, at first when someone says, "Let's impose tariffs on foreign imports," it looks like they're doing the patriotic thing by protecting American products and jobs. High tariffs inevitably lead to retaliation by foreign countries and the triggering of fierce trade wars. The result is more and more tariffs, higher and higher trade barriers, and less and less competition.So soon, because of the prices made artificially high by tariffs that subsidize inefficiency and poor management, people stop buying. T ...

Let's turn to Ford lowering its outlook despite a Q3 beat. Philau Ha is with us and has more on that guidance that the market seems to really be shrugging off at this point in time. Phil.>> Yeah, I think the market is focused on the fact that Ford has managed a couple of difficult situations much better than people expected. As you take a look at shares of Ford, they are now at a 52- week high. In fact, we haven't seen shares of Ford trading at this level since 2023.And the company did beat Q3 on both the t ...

Core Insights - Ford has lowered its outlook despite beating Q3 expectations, with shares reaching a 52-week high, indicating strong market performance [1][2]. Financial Performance - Ford exceeded Q3 expectations on both revenue and earnings, attributed partly to better-than-expected management of tariff impacts [2][3]. - The anticipated tariff impact for Ford has been revised down from $2.5 billion to approximately $1 billion [3]. Tariff Impact - General Motors has also reduced its expected tariff impact for the year from $4 to $5 billion to a range of $3.5 to $4.5 billion [4][5]. - Both Ford and GM are experiencing increased demand for trucks and SUVs, which is contributing to their positive financial outlook [7]. Production Plans - Ford confirmed that its plans to build Superduty pickup trucks in Oakville, Ontario, remain unchanged despite ongoing production in Canada and Mexico [6]. - The companies are not halting production in Canada and Mexico, indicating a balanced approach to manufacturing [5][6]. Electric Vehicle Market - The share of electric vehicles (EVs) in the U.S. market is expected to stabilize around 5% to 6%, with a need for more offerings in the $35,000 to $45,000 price range to drive demand [7][8].

Group 1 - Deckers Outdoors, the parent company of brands like Hoka, Teva, and UGG, experienced a significant stock decline of 12% to a two-year low following the release of weak quarterly earnings and guidance [1] - Investors are concerned that economic slowdowns due to tariffs and declining consumer confidence may negatively impact Deckers' performance [1] - The overall stock market, particularly the Dow Jones index, rallied on positive CPI inflation data, contrasting with Deckers' poor performance [1][2] Group 2 - The stock market is showing resilience, with small caps surging after the inflation data release, indicating a broader market reaction despite individual company struggles [2] - Other companies, such as Nike, are also facing challenges with stock performance amid earnings reports and restructuring concerns, highlighting a mixed sentiment in the retail sector [4]

After an online outburst against Colombia’s president, Donald Trump promised to impose tariffs on the country’s exports and end all aid. But he may find it tricky to follow through https://t.co/wzQy6yWFTc ...