U.S. holiday sales growth is expected to accelerate to 4.2% this year, the National Retail Federation said Thursday, betting shoppers will stay resilient despite budget pressure.
“This year’s forecast reflects our confidence that consumers will prioritize the holiday season even as they remain mindful of their budgets,” NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said, according to a Reuters summary.
Retailers are watching tariffs and energy costs that have already lifted prices on toys and other imported goods. September retail sales rose 0.8%, beating forecasts, though gasoline did much of the lifting.
NRF’s outlook will shape hiring and inventory plans for the stretch from November through early January, when many chains book a large share of annual profits.
Sources: Reuters via Devdiscourse. Thee Arizona Times uses AI-assisted reporting reviewed against the sources listed.
Photo: Triplec85 / CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
