Topics

Retail

5 briefings, newest first.

  1. The Inflation Is Stuck in the Middle.

    Producer prices jump 1.3% in September, the most since March 2022, and intermediate goods run 14.1% above a year ago, while CPI hits 3.7% with core at 2.6%, retail sales ex-gas rise just 0.2%, and diesel slips to $6.179.

  2. Freight Cooled. Prices Kept Climbing.

    Diesel drops 18.3¢ to $6.199 and Asia–Europe ocean slides, but ISM factory prices jump to 77.9, services prices hit 74.0, payrolls add just 29,000, and the Fed minutes point to another hike.

  3. The Inventory Arrived. The Confidence Left.

    Wholesale inventories run 6.6% above a year ago as consumer confidence drops to 81.9, Target cuts 2,000 prices, diesel snaps its record streak at $6.382, and a 100% pharma tariff takes effect.

  4. The Inversion Flipped: Transpacific Rates Surge as Truckload Cools

    Ocean rates climb to $4,526 per box with Shanghai–New York up 9%, while truckload spot rates roll over and flatbed posts its steepest drop since 2008.

  5. Walmart's Strategic Diversification Accelerates

    Walmart widens its sourcing and operations bets, AI moves into day-to-day operations at global scale, and retailers rethink inventory under tariff pressure.