Black Friday Spending Surges Past Forecasts, As Core Inflation Sinks To Lowest Level Since 2020

[RhodyPatriot]

Wow.

It really is remarkable how starkly juxtaposed reality is with the doom and gloom naysaying of Trump's incessant detractors.

I mean, they were really, REALLY wrong.

And we're only just revving up.

Overall retail sales excluding automotive rose 4.1 percent from last year, according to Mastercard SpendingPulse, surpassing the prior year’s 3.4 percent growth and landing near the high end of forecasts. The data, which tracks both in-person and online transactions but isn’t adjusted for inflation, suggests the holiday shopping season is off to a robust start.

“It clearly shows that the consumer has the ability to spend,” Michelle Meyer, chief economist at the Mastercard Economics Institute, told Bloomberg News.

The enthusiastic crowds undermine the claims by the establishment media that Americans were anxious about the economy or would be deterred by persistent inflation from shopping.

Strength was broad-based across categories. Apparel climbed 5.7 percent, with online sales up 6.1 percent and in-store purchases gaining 5.4 percent, according to the Mastercard Economics Institute, as chilly temperatures and seasonal deals drove spending on new fashions. Jewelry rose 2.75 percent as consumers opted for gifts, while restaurant sales grew 4.5 percent, the Mastercard data show, underscoring continued consumer appetite for experiences alongside goods.

Digital commerce continued to set records. Adobe Analytics reported U.S. consumers spent $11.8 billion online Friday, a 9.1 percent increase from last year. Combined with Thursday’s $6.4 billion in online Thanksgiving sales—itself a record—the data points to sustained momentum in e-commerce.

From Nov. 1 through Nov. 23, U.S. consumers had already spent $79.7 billion online, up 7.5 percent from the prior year, according to Adobe Analytics.

Major retailers reported strong customer turnout. Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota, saw about 14,000 visitors enter within an hour of its 7 a.m. opening Friday, with customers lining up as early as 3 p.m. Thursday, according to the Associated Press.

“We are tracking one of our best Black Fridays ever,” Jill Renslow, the mall’s chief business development and marketing officer, told the Associated Press.

The National Retail Federation projects holiday sales will reach between $1.01 trillion and $1.02 trillion in November and December, which would mark the first time spending exceeded $1 trillion over the holiday season. The trade group forecasts growth of 3.7 percent to 4.2 percent for the period.

Black Friday Spending Surges Past Forecasts, Capping Strong Holiday Kickoff

Retail sales jump 4.1% as consumers show spending power amid falling inflation. | Economy

www.breitbart.com

OK, you get the idea.

Once again:

THE "EXPERTS" (Democrats posing as objective news media) WERE WRONG.

 

[initforme]

More people spending more money they dont have to turn a holiday into a fiasco. Ive never bought into the insanity of helping corporate profits.

 

[Natural Citizen]

More people spending more money they dont have...

$1.23 trillion in credit card debt, to be exact.

Household Debt and Credit Report

Unique data and insight into the credit conditions and activity of U.S. households

www.newyorkfed.org

That’s up from $1.209 trillion in Q2 2025 and is the highest balance since the New York Fed began tracking in 1999...


Relevant reading...

States Where Credit Card Delinquency Is Increasing the Most