Strong gains in consumer spending and incomes in March

Apr 30, 2021
U.S. consumer spending rose at the fastest pace in nine months while incomes soared by a record amount in March.
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What consumer spending can tell us about the economic recovery

Apr 28, 2021
The numbers are a snapshot of March, when many Americans were spending freshly received stimulus checks.
This Friday's consumer spending numbers will mostly be based on the experience economy, which includes services like bars, hair salons and theaters.
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Are we headed for a Roaring '20s economy?

Apr 16, 2021
We check in with three economic historians on what to expect in the post-pandemic era.
The economy is fundamentally different today than it was 100 years ago, but there are some parallels.
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How consumers are using their latest relief checks

Apr 7, 2021
A Federal Reserve report found consumers are mostly saving the payment. When more Americans are vaccinated, they might spend more.
Many consumers plan to save a big part of their relief payment instead of quickly funneling it into the economy.
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People are ready to spend money on experiences again

Mar 29, 2021
There is a lot of pent-up demand for experiences after a year of isolation.
An employee arranges merchandise at a store in the Downtown Disney District shopping area outside of Disneyland last summer. Disney California Adventure Park partially reopened for a ticketed shopping and dining event.
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How recipients will spend COVID relief payments depends on their income

Mar 26, 2021
The worst off are likely to use them to fend off economic disaster. The best off may well splurge.
Middle-income households may increase their spending a bit, and pay down debt. But Camilla Yanushevsky at CFRA Research said some of them may hold back, because they’re worried.
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Companies see an opportunity with more relief money headed to consumers

Mar 17, 2021
Deals and other offers are likely to appear online, where people have already been shopping during the pandemic.
Consumers are likely to spend this latest round of relief payments quickly, said Matt Kleinschmit, CEO of the market research consultancy Reach3 Insights.
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For public good, not for profit.

What's "normal"? Unilever decides to stop using the word.

Mar 9, 2021
The consumer-products giant will no longer use the term to describe skin or hair care brands such as Dove, Axe and Vaseline.
Black and brown women have often been told that their hair and skin are not "normal." Will Unilever's eliminating the term make a difference?
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We're buying a lot more stuff these days

Feb 26, 2021
Money can’t buy happiness, but that’s never stopped anyone from trying.
Spending on goods has gone up during the pandemic, but you can get your kids only so many trampolines.
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Why credit card limits could rise this year

Feb 26, 2021
Lenders aren't quite as nervous about consumer finances anymore, and they're anticipating a boom in consumer spending.
Credit card companies hope that increased credit limits will create more outstanding balances, meaning more revenue for them.
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