consumer spending

In one poll, 44% of respondents say they’re stressed about the economy. Meanwhile, 34% say they’re optimistic.

The answer will be pretty familiar: consumer spending, and lots of it.

Companies like Target, Walmart and Kohl’s held sales this week aimed at holiday shoppers, and Amazon just wrapped up its second Prime Day event of the year.

And that would mean your paycheck’s purchasing power would be getting a boost relative to inflation.

Obligations resuming after three years could be a rude awakening for some. But by itself, it’s not likely to start a recession, experts say.

People in the U.S. saved an estimated $2.1 trillion at one point in the pandemic. By some estimates, that money’s pretty much gone.

Sales at furniture stores have been sliding amid a cooling housing market and weakening consumer sentiment about making big purchases.

Shipping companies need to cover their higher costs, but there’s a limit to how much they can pass on to customers.

A survey from the Institute for Supply Management found that a majority of service-sector businesses feel positive about business conditions and the overall economy.

The rebound from pandemic deprivation continues, says Adriana Samper of Arizona State, and the reasoning can get pretty creative.