S&P Global Ratings is forecasting that holiday sales growth will slow to about 3 percent in 2024 from 4.7 percent last year, remaining below the 10-year average of 5.3 percent. The firm said its outlook is influenced by waning, but persistent, inflation that has pressured household budgets.

The CPI, which measures costs across a spectrum of goods and services, increased 0.2 percent for the month. That took the 12-month year-over-year inflation rate to 2.6 percent, up 20 basis points from September.

Leaders in the year-over-year growth included E-Commerce & Catalog; Clothing, Footwear & Accessories stores, and Health & Personal Care stores. The Sporting Goods sector, which also includes Hobby, Music and Book stores, posted solid (+2.7 percent) month-over-month results but declined year-over-year.

Scott Schmadeke, SVP, field and fresh operations, has been named EVP and chief operations officer, effective immediately, and Krystyna Kostka, SVP of operations, has been named chief supply chain officer.

Import volumes at the nation’s major container ports could be higher than previously expected for the remainder of this year as retailers face another potential East Coast/Gulf Coast port strike and tariff increases planned by President-elect Donald Trump, according to the Global Port Tracker report released by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates.

The company cited Switzerland’s high labor and energy costs, the strong Swiss franc, and poor market environment since the pandemic to cover production costs. However, the company will continue production of its high-tech textiles in Asia with no disruption.

NRF Chief Economist, Jack Kleinhenz, reported in the November Issue of the NRF’s Monthly Economic Review, that it continues to expect steady sales growth for the winter holiday season despite contradictions in the latest economic indicators.