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Inflation, inventory challenge US holiday shopping season
High inflation and ongoing retail supply chain issues are casting dark clouds over the important U.S. holiday shopping period. Sales forecasts for the period, which generally runs from October through December, show the growth of total sales over the prior year will be undercut by soaring inflation, leading to a marked slowdown from recent years that were buoyed by pent-up pandemic demand and consumers awash with extra cash. Holiday sales growth can make or break the finances of many retailers and serves as a bellwether for the economy as consumer spending accounts for nearly 70% of U.S. GDP. Amazon.com Inc. has ... (full story)