Based on consumers’ short-term outlook for income, business and labor market conditions, the Board’s Expectations Index tumbled 12.6 points to 81.1 for the month, just above the threshold of 80 that usually signals a recession ahead.

Preliminary insights reveal that U.S. retail holiday sales, excluding automotive, increased 3.8 percent year-over-year from November 1 through December 24, exceeding the firm’s September forecast of 3.7 percent growth for the holiday sales period.

Miller owned Scholastic Sports Sales, which celebrated its 50th anniversary in April 2024 and is in its third generation of family ownership. He was a member of the NSGA Board for two terms from 2015 to 2021. He unexpectedly passed away on December 19 at age 69.

The company has entered into an agreement to amend and extend its credit facility with Bank of America, N. A., as administrative agent and lender.

The membership trade organization serving the commercial real estate and retail industries reported physical stores remain an important part of holiday shopping, as 84 percent of surveyed respondents intend to shop in-store or visit a store to pick up an online order.

According to the study, retailers surveyed experienced an average of 177 shoplifting incidents per day in 2023; however, that number can reach over 1,000 depending on the retail sector.

November’s Core Retail Sales – as defined by NRF — based on the Census data but excluding automobile dealers, gasoline stations and restaurants — were up 0.4 percent seasonally-adjusted m/m and up 3.8 percent unadjusted y/y.