- Angry questions in Germany after Christmas market attack
- China's Zheng pulls out of season-opening United Cup
- Minorities fear targeted attacks in post-revolution Bangladesh
- Tatum's 43-point triple-double propels Celtics over Bulls
- Tunisia women herb harvesters struggle with drought and heat
- Trump threatens to take back control of Panama Canal
- India's architecture fans guard Mumbai's Art Deco past
- Secretive game developer codes hit 'Balatro' in Canadian prairie province
- Large earthquake hits battered Vanuatu
- Beaten Fury says Usyk got 'Christmas gift' from judges
- First Singaporean golfer at Masters hopes 'not be in awe' of heroes
- Usyk beats Fury in heavyweight championship rematch
- Stellantis backtracks on plan to lay off 1,100 at US Jeep plant
- Atletico snatch late win at Barca to top La Liga
- Australian teen Konstas ready for Indian pace challenge
- Strong quake strikes off battered Vanuatu
- Tiger Woods and son Charlie share halfway lead in family event
- Bath stay out in front in Premiership as Bristol secure record win
- Mahomes shines as NFL-best Chiefs beat Texans to reach 14-1
- Suspect in deadly Christmas market attack railed against Islam, Germany
- MLB legend Henderson, career stolen base leader, dead at 65
- Albania announces shutdown of TikTok for at least a year
- Laboured Napoli take top spot in Serie A
- Schick hits four as Leverkusen close gap to Bayern on sombre weekend
- Calls for more safety measures after Croatia school stabbings
- Jesus double lifts Christmas spirits for five-star Arsenal
- Frankfurt miss chance to close on Bayern as attack victims remembered
- NBA fines Celtics coach Mazzulla and Nets center Claxton
- Banned Russian skater Valieva stars at Moscow ice gala
- Leading try scorer Maqala takes Bayonne past Vannes in Top 14
- Struggling Southampton appoint Juric as new manager
- Villa heap pain on slumping Man City as Forest soar
- Suspect in deadly Christmas market attack railed against Islam and Germany
- At least 32 die in bus accident in southeastern Brazil
- Freed activist Paul Watson vows to 'end whaling worldwide'
- Chinese ship linked to severed Baltic Sea cables sets sail
- Sorrow and fury in German town after Christmas market attack
- Guardiola vows Man City will regain confidence 'sooner or later' after another defeat
- Ukraine drone hits Russian high-rise 1,000km from frontline
- Villa beat Man City to deepen Guardiola's pain
- 'Perfect start' for ski great Vonn on World Cup return
- Germany mourns five killed, hundreds wounded in Christmas market attack
- Odermatt soars to Val Gardena downhill win
- Mbappe's adaptation period over: Real Madrid's Ancelotti
- France's most powerful nuclear reactor finally comes on stream
- Ski great Vonn finishes 14th on World Cup return
- Scholz visits site of deadly Christmas market attack
- Heavyweight foes Usyk, Fury set for titanic rematch
- Drone attack hits Russian city 1,000km from Ukraine frontier
- Former England winger Eastham dies aged 88
Retailers point to solid US sales over holiday weekend
US consumers turned out in force in stores and online over the Thanksgiving weekend, a key stretch in the holiday shopping season, a leading retailer group said Tuesday.
A total of 197 million shoppers, about 59 percent of the US population, made purchases during a five-day stretch that includes Black Friday and Cyber Monday, according to figures from the National Retail Federation.
That number is a bit below the record 2023 level of 200.4 million, but the second highest ever, reflecting the renewed desire to get out and about after the pandemic years, said NRF President Matthew Shay.
A total of 126 million people shopped in-store in 2024 compared with the 124.3 million who shopped online; the reverse was true in 2023.
Shay said consumers are "more thoughtful and deliberate" about purchases after a painful stretch of inflation. But pricing dynamics have improved from a few years ago, with workers' wages rising more quickly than inflation.
"Consumers are overall in a good place," according to Shay.
The NRF has warned that tariffs discussed by President-elect Donald Trump could cost Americans $78 billion in annual spending power.
Shay said consumers have not so far adjusted their spending behavior in anticipation of tariffs but that the concern could impact sales as the season progresses.
"Consumers are aware of the impact of tariffs and highly sensitive to the impact of pricing," he said.
The NRF has projected holiday spending growth of between 2.5 and 3.5 percent in the 2024 season compared with the year-ago period, to as much as $989 billion over the two-month period.
Other consumer data about the holiday period has also pointed to good sales. Adobe Analytics estimated sales on Cyber Monday at $13.3 billion, up 7.3 percent from the year-ago level and above Adobe's projection.
Over the same five-day stretch, sales were $41.1 billion, up 8.2 percent.
P.Mira--PC