As summer trips beckon, some are traveling less, at least by car. And those candy bars at the convenience store may find fewer takers.
Tag Archives: Consumer Behavior
Income and Spending Rose Less Than Prices in May
After the latest monthly consumer data, some analysts expect a second straight quarter of decline in the U.S. gross domestic product.
Why Coupons Are Harder to Find Than Ever
Brands and retailers are shifting away from the clipped newspaper discounts, and the digital version hasn’t grown fast enough to catch up.
Less Takeout, More Produce Swapping: How Inflation Is Altering People’s Behavior
From driving fewer miles to downgrading vacations, Americans are making meaningful changes to their spending. Here’s how five households are coping with the highest inflation in decades.
Biden Weighs Tariff Rollback to Ease Inflation, Even a Little Bit
While lifting some levies on China is unlikely to put a large dent in inflation, administration officials concede they have few other options to address surging prices.
More Retailers Look to Manufacture Excitement With Product ‘Drops’
A wide range of retailers are manufacturing excitement, and scarcity, with limited edition product “drops.”
Target Will Cut Prices to Clear Out Unwanted Inventory, Taking a Profit Hit
The move shows how inflation and changing consumer behavior are souring the business outlook for many retailers.
How Are You Coping With Inflation?
We’d like to hear your story.
After a Bumper 2021, Companies Might Struggle to Increase Profits
Businesses face headwinds as demand weakens, the Federal Reserve raises rates and government stimulus programs end.
Wall Street’s Losing Streak Ends, but Uncertainty That Drove It Lingers
As stocks have tumbled this year, predictions that the selling is over have been wrong time and again.
The Fed Wants to Fight Inflation Without a Recession. Is It Too Late?
Federal Reserve officials took a while to recognize that inflation was lasting. The question is whether they can tame it gently now.
Rising Economic Fear Batters Wall Street in April
The S&P 500 is heading for its worst monthly decline since March 2020, as rising interest rates and high inflation raise concerns about consumer sentiment.
Amazon Revenue Slows, and Costs Rise
Amazon benefited from the coronavirus pandemic as people flocked to online shopping. Now, shoppers’ behavior has shifted.
Economy Contracted in the First Quarter, but Underlying Measures Were Solid
The overall figure understates the recovery because inventories needed less rebuilding and consumer spending widened the trade deficit.
On Daylight Saving, There Are More Options Than You Might Think
There are only so many hours of light in the day. When should we enjoy them?
Is America’s Economy Entering a New Normal?
Policymakers are wrestling with the reality that the pandemic may mark a turning point in the nation’s economic plot.
Stocks climb but trading is volatile after Fed projects more rate increases this year.
The S&P 500 fluctuated, after earlier climbing more than 1.5 percent.
Retail sales rose in February, but inflation is starting to take its toll on spending.
Sales rose 0.3 percent from January, a sharp slowdown in spending growth. Spending at electronics and appliances stores, furniture stores and health and personal care stores was lower.
Why Is the Fed Raising Interest Rates?
Here’s the Federal Reserve’s rationale, and how it might trickle through the economy to affect you.
That Russian Business You’re Boycotting Isn’t Actually Russian
The consumer activism that makes a vodka C.E.O. say: ‘Do you know we’re Latvian?’
Japan’s Economy Surged in the Brief Window Before Omicron
Consumers came out in droves as the virus nearly disappeared in the fourth quarter of 2021, but the advent of the new variant makes another contraction likely.
Running a Business Under the Shadow of War
“When you’re constantly thinking about invading Russians you’re not going to go buy a new phone, or a car, or a house.”
The Wine Business Sees a Problem: Millennials Aren’t Drinking Enough
As baby boomers retire and buy less wine, producers need new ways to tempt a White Claw generation back from other alcoholic drinks, according to a new report.
More Thoughts on America’s Feel-Bad Boom
Inflation aversion meets the partisan economy.
For Olympic Sponsors, ‘China Is an Exception’
Pressure is mounting on companies to condemn the country’s human rights violations, but executives say the Games should not be politicized.
Omicron Is the Latest Covid Blow to the Economy
The latest wave of coronavirus cases is slowing the recovery, but its longer-term impact is less clear.
Omicron’s Economic Toll: Missing Workers, More Uncertainty and Higher Inflation (Maybe)
The latest wave of coronavirus cases is slowing the recovery, but its longer-term impact is less clear.
Rapid Inflation Fuels Debate Over What’s to Blame: Pandemic or Policy
The White House is emphasizing that inflation is worldwide. Economists say that’s true — but stimulus-spurred consumer buying is also to blame.
Biden Versus the Friends of Covid
Anti-vaccine politics explain many of the president’s problems.
China’s Economy Slowed Late Last Year on Real Estate Troubles
Economic output climbed 4 percent in the last quarter, slowing from the July through September quarter. Growth has faltered lately as home buyers and consumers become cautious.
Retail Sales Fell in December, a Slowdown in a Robust Holiday Shopping Season
Despite a decline of 1.9 percent in the final month of the year, sales for the fourth quarter of 2021 jumped 17.1 percent as consumers began their holiday shopping earlier.
A Nation On Hold Wants to Speak With a Manager
In our anger-filled age, when people need to shop or travel or cope with mild disappointment they’re “devolving into children.”
What Social Trends Told Us About the American Economy in 2021
“Hard pants,” R.T.O. and boomer burnout made for an eventful second pandemic year. They also taught us about the economic future.
Why Christmas Gifts Are Arriving on Time This Year
Fears that a disrupted supply chain could wreak havoc on the logistics industry over the holiday turned out to be wrong as many Americans ordered early and shopped in stores.
Holiday Tipping Guide 2021: Who and How Much
Who should be on your list — from babysitters to deliverers to restaurant servers — and the typical size of the gift.
The Year of Inflation Infamy
Maybe the real takeaway should be how little we know about where we are in this strange economic episode.
Inflation Worries Say a Lot About You (and May Move Prices)
Age, region, education and income all influence what people think consumer prices will be a few years from now. And that creates a policy puzzle.
The Era of the Celebrity Meal
Fast-food chains are hungry for celebrity partners to drive sales and appeal to younger consumers. The method is working.
Pandemic-Era ‘Excess Savings’ Are Dwindling for Many
The drop in cash reserves has vast implications for the working class and could dampen consumer spending, a large share of economic activity.
What Your Flight History Reveals About Your Carbon Footprint
Google Flights now shows your carbon footprint. Will it change the way you buy plane tickets?
Joe Biden’s Infrastructure Bill Is a Big Success
Voters may pummel Democrats next year but future generations will be grateful.
The Economy Is Good. So Why Do We Feel Terrible About It?
Polling suggests that Americans think conditions are bad. Data shows that they’re wrong.
Biden Says Spending Bill Will Slow Inflation. But When?
The Biden administration has argued that its infrastructure and broader economic package will slow rapid price increases. But that will take time.
Outside COP26, Trash in Glasgow Piles High
At COP26, delegates address the need to curb emissions and mass consumption to save the planet while the reality of today’s throwaway society is all too apparent nearby.
Holiday Gifts? Try Buying Nothing New This Season
This is not about being a Grinch, canceling Christmas or trying to pass a minimalist purity test.
8 Companies That Changed Their Names to Signal a Strategy Shift
Facebook said on Thursday that it was rebranding as Meta, taking a step to distance itself from the controversies it faces. How has this corporate strategy worked for other companies?
U.S. Economy Slowed in Third Quarter as Delta Variant Surged
New data shows how bottlenecks and the Delta variant slowed economic growth in the third quarter. Relief may be slow.
Byron Lewis, the Original Black Media Mogul
Byron Lewis knew there was an untapped market for Black storytelling. But it took years for the rest of the country to believe him.
Haunted Houses Need to Terrify You More Than Ever This Halloween
Many haunted attractions, typically a financially lucrative business, were devastated by the 2020 season. This year, they’re hoping to rebound through your frights and screams.
Retail Sales Jump in September as Consumers Spend More and Prices Rise
The 0.7 percent increase was better than economists expected as sales at restaurant and bars, gas stations and clothing stores continued to grow last month.