Consumer Behavior

More stories

  • 88 Shares129 Views

    in Economy

    As Holiday Shopping Season Begins, Retailers Worry

    by

    Consumer spending has been strong in 2023 despite higher prices and waning savings. But some retailers have jitters heading into Black Friday.Christina Beck is approaching this holiday season cautiously.Ms. Beck, a 58-year-old administrative director at a school, makes lists of gifts she plans to buy for her family and friends and sticks with it. But her spending this year will be kept in check by the high cost of food in grocery stores and restaurants, and the mortgage for a home in Minneapolis she bought last year with her best friend.That best friend, Kristin Aitchison, cannot wait for the holidays. Ms. Aitchison, 55, who works for a senior living home, advises her family each year that she plans to make the holidays smaller, spending less. And every year, she spends more than she did the year before.“I’m a huge gift giver,” Ms. Aitchison, who started her shopping in early November. “I have so much joy in giving gifts. I’m always running around the last week before Christmas because I have to find just a few more gifts.”There are many reasons for people to be more prudent in their holiday spending this year. While inflation is less rapid than it was a year ago, millions of shoppers still feel sticker shock when buying groceries. Payments on federal student loans, which were on pause during the pandemic, have resumed. And higher interest rates have meant larger credit card bills and, for home buyers, mortgage payments.Yet consumer spending has been surprisingly strong throughout 2023. For retailers, the question is whether people will continue to spend their way through the holiday season or decide this is the time to pull back.Predictions are murky. The National Retail Federation said it expected holiday sales to increase 3 to 4 percent from last year, without adjusting for inflation, on a par with the prepandemic 2019 season. But in a survey by the Conference Board, a nonprofit research group, consumers said they planned to spend an average of $985 on holiday-related items this year, down slightly from the $1,006 they anticipated spending last year.One closely watched early indicator, Amazon’s Prime Day in October, showed consumers were spending more, but only slightly. They spent an average of $144.53 on Prime Day, a 2 percent increase from the average the year before, according to Facteus, which analyzed credit and debit card transaction data.Last week, the Commerce Department reported that retail sales nationwide fell 0.1 percent in October from September, the first drop since March. Executives at Walmart also warned that consumer spending had weakened in the last two weeks in October, noting that people seemed to be waiting for sales.“It makes us more cautious on the consumer as we look into the fourth quarter,” John David Rainey, the chief financial officer of Walmart, said in an interview. “I think there’s likely more variability in the numbers.”Still, the retail sales pullback was smaller than the decline that many economists had expected after a very strong summer of spending, and some analysts saw it as a sign of continued consumer resilience.Holiday sales are likely to be decent by prepandemic standards, though not as strong as the gangbuster seasons in 2020 and 2021, said Tim Quinlan, a senior economist at Wells Fargo.Higher-income shoppers still have plenty of extra savings built up during and after the pandemic, but those with lower incomes have more fully used up their resources, Mr. Quinlan said. Higher interest rates may also deter shoppers from putting holiday shopping on credit cards. The combination of reduced savings and higher rates “makes it tougher to have a big pile of presents under the tree this year,” he said.For much of the year, consumer spending has been underpinned by continued strength in the job market and wage gains. Average hourly earnings in October were up 4.1 percent from a year earlier. That was faster than inflation. As measured by the Consumer Price Index, prices were up 3.2 percent.Those factors have helped to keep retail sales climbing on a yearly basis.It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year (for the Economy)Three decades of monthly retail spending show how important the holiday season is to our economy.Still, signs of slowing are beginning to show up. Wage growth is slowing, and the unemployment rate has risen over recent months. Like Mr. Quinlan, many economists think that consumers are getting closer to exhausting their savings, though some studies suggest that many have been drawing down their financial cushions only slowly.For many, the resumption of student-loan payments is putting a crimp in holiday spending plans. In a holiday survey by the consulting firm Deloitte, 17 percent of respondents said they had to resume student loan payments, and almost half of them said they planned to reduce their holiday spending as a result.In past years, Tara Cavanaugh, a 37-year-old marketing manager, spent as much as $1,500 on gifts for her family, friends and various office parties, she said. This year, after a move with her partner to Boulder, Colo., and the resumption of her $400-a-month student-loan payments — her partner also has student-loan debt — she said she was paring down her gift list and expected to spend closer to $200.Tara Cavanaugh outside her home in Boulder, Colo. She plans to pare down her gift list this year.Kevin Mohatt for The New York Times“We both make decent incomes and live simply, sharing an old car and our furniture is still from Ikea, but it still feels like we’re struggling,” Ms. Cavanaugh said of her and her partner. “I know a lot of us are feeling the pinch, so I’m not going to freak out about giving gifts to people who are older than me, are doing fine and don’t need anything.”As always, many people are looking for deals, whether on Black Friday or through other pre-Christmas sales. About 52 percent of consumers plan to watch for deals and special offers online and 39 percent plan to hunt for sales in stores this year, according to a survey by the research firm Forrester.When the Amazon toy catalog landed in Claire Kielich’s mailbox in Austin, Texas, her two daughters, ages 5 and 10, who also have birthdays in December, began circling what they wanted.“I’ll be watching to see if any of those things go on sale for Black Friday,” said Ms. Kielich, 40, who does product development and sourcing in the furniture industry. She said she expected to spend around $1,000 this holiday season and already had a stash of stocking stuffers hidden in one of her closets.Ms. Beck in Minneapolis started buying holiday gifts in July, making lists of what friends and family needed or liked, picking up unique items at local craft stores or from small local businesses and storing them in what she calls her “present drawer.” This approach, she said, helps her put more thought into her gifts and keeps her from spending beyond her budget.Her best friend, Ms. Aitchison, takes the opposite approach. While careful with her finances during the year, come the holidays she has no plan and, basically, no budget. Her oldest child has barred her from ever buying him another pair of corduroy pants. Last year, she bought four nine-foot-tall blow-up dinosaur costumes for her adult children.“Of course, nobody needs a blow-up dinosaur costume,” Ms. Aitchison conceded.This holiday season, she plans to shop until she drops.“I don’t think about what I’m going to spend,” she said. “In January and February, because I spent all my money, I’ll eat beans and rice while I pay the bills off.”Despite their different holiday shopping styles, Ms. Aitchison said she and Ms. Beck always had fun shopping together.“She doesn’t get nearly the amount of things that I do,” Ms. Aitchison said. “She’s always like: ‘Kristin stop. Put that down. You don’t need it.’” More

  • 138 Shares179 Views

    in Economy

    It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year (for the Economy)

    by

    For many Americans, the end of the year is a time for parties, family gatherings, festive meals and, of course, shopping. And all that holiday celebrating makes the fourth quarter the most important time of the year for the U.S. economy. 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 🎁 🎁 🎁 🎁 🎁 🎁 🎁 🎁 […] More

  • 138 Shares119 Views

    in Economy

    What to Watch for as the Federal Reserve Meets This Week

    by

    Central bankers are expected to leave interest rates steady at a 22-year high of 5.25 to 5.5 percent. Investors are looking for hints at what’s next.Federal Reserve officials are widely expected to leave interest rates steady at the conclusion of their two-day meeting on Wednesday. But investors and economists will watch for any hint about whether rates are likely to stay that way — or whether central bankers still think they might need to increase them again in the coming months.Officials will release a statement announcing their policy decision at 2 p.m., followed by a news conference with Jerome H. Powell, the Fed chair, at 2:30 p.m. Both will offer policymakers a chance to signal what they think might come next for interest rates and the economy.Central bankers have already raised interest rates to a range of 5.25 to 5.5 percent in a push to tame inflation. That rate setting is up from near-zero as recently as early 2022, and is the highest level in 22 years.Higher borrowing costs are meant to make it more expensive to buy a home, purchase a car or expand a business using a loan. By tapping the brakes on demand and hiring, that slows the broader economy, which can help to put a lid on price increases.Fed officials have widely signaled that they are close to the point where they no longer need to raise interest rates — simply leaving them around this level will cool the economy and help drive inflation back down to their 2 percent goal over time. The question now is twofold: Will policymakers feel it necessary to make one more quarter-point interest-rate move later this year or early next? And once they decide that rates are high enough, how long will they leave them elevated?Here’s what to watch for on Wednesday.Jerome Powell, the Federal Reserve chair, said in that “at the margin” the recent tightening in financial conditions could reduce the need for further tightening, “though that remains to be seen.”Michelle V. Agins/The New York TimesThe Fed’s language will be in focus.Central bankers will first release their standard monetary policy statement, and markets will carefully watch to see if officials make any changes that suggest they are done raising interest rates.Last time, officials said that “in determining the extent of additional policy firming that may be appropriate,” they would contemplate incoming economic data. If they softened that language to make further policy moves sound less likely, it would be notable.But investors may not find much else to parse in this release. Fed officials will not release fresh quarterly economic projections again until December. Given that, traders will have to watch Mr. Powell’s news conference for more details about what comes next.Recent market moves could be critical.As of the Fed’s latest economic forecasts in September, officials still thought that one more rate increase in 2023 might be appropriate.But something critical has changed in the intervening weeks.Long-term interest rates have climbed notably in markets since the Fed gathered on Sept. 19-20. While central bankers directly set short-term interest rates, longer-term borrowing costs often adjust only at a delay — and the recent jump is making everything from mortgages to business loans much more expensive.That could help slow the economy, doing some of the Fed’s work for it. And some economists think in light of that, central bankers will no longer see a need for another rate increase.Mr. Powell, during a question-and-answer session on Oct. 19, said that “at the margin” the recent tightening in financial conditions could reduce the need for further tightening, “though that remains to be seen.”“I took it to mean that perhaps there isn’t as much urgency to raise interest rates further,” said Blerina Uruci, chief U.S. economist at T. Rowe Price. She said that she didn’t expect officials to rule out another move, but “they need to manage a broad range of risks right now.”If consumer spending remains so strong that companies feel they can raise prices without scaring away customers, it could make it tough to fully wrestle inflation back down to 2 percent.Amir Hamja/The New York TimesStrong consumer spending may keep officials alert.While the Fed is dealing with the possibility that higher market-based interest rates will weigh on the economy, they are also confronting another potential challenge: Economic data have remained surprisingly strong in recent months.On one level, this is good news. Consumers are shopping and companies are hiring at a rapid clip in spite of higher interest rates, and that resilience has come at a time when inflation has moderated substantially. The Fed’s favorite inflation gauge has slowed to 3.4 percent, down from 7.1 percent at its peak in summer 2022.But if consumer spending remains so strong that companies feel they can raise prices without scaring away customers, that could make it tough to fully wrestle inflation back down to 2 percent.That’s why policymakers at the Fed are watching the continued strength closely — and trying to decide whether it suggests that further interest rate increases are needed.Timing is a big question.Officials may decide that they simply need more time to watch economic trends play out.Holding off on further rate moves in November — and possibly beyond — could give officials a chance to see if growth and consumer spending slow in the way companies have been warning they could.Plus, keeping rates on pause will give officials more time to see how looming geopolitical risks shape up. The war between Israel and Hamas could affect the economy in hard-to-predict ways. If it escalates into a regional war, it could shake consumer confidence. But a wider conflict could also cause oil prices to pop, pushing up inflation.At the same time, officials won’t want to fully rule out a future move at a time when market rates could fall, risks could fade and growth could remain quick.“Maintaining optionality makes a lot of sense in the current context,” said Matthew Luzzetti, chief U.S. economist at Deutsche Bank.Wall Street is divided over what will come next. Investors see about a one-in-four chance of a rate move at the Fed’s final 2023 meeting, which takes place on Dec. 13. They see a slightly higher — but far from guaranteed — chance of a move in early 2024.“Nobody is feeling a high degree of confidence about the economic outlook right now,” Ms. Uruci said. More

  • 113 Shares119 Views

    in Economy

    Halloween Shoppers Not Spooked as Economic Slowdown Remains Elusive

    by

    Economists spent much of 2023 warning that a recession could be imminent as the Federal Reserve raised interest rates to the highest level in more than two decades. But for companies like Soergel Orchards in western Pennsylvania, a slowdown is nowhere in sight.“People are buying the decorative things,” said Amy Soergel, manager at the company who explained that gourds and cornstalks were in high demand and that customers were coming out to select pumpkins and apples. “People love to pick — people will pick anything.”Sales are up even though a string of rainy weekends have held back attendance at the farm’s annual fall festival. Demand at the hard cider shop has been solid. And the owners are bracing for a strong season in their store selling Christmas decorations.Soergel’s bustling business is a microcosm of a trend playing out nationwide. Consumer demand has unexpectedly boomed in 2023, defying widespread expectations for a slowdown and helping to fuel strong overall growth. The economy expanded at an eye-popping 4.9 percent annual rate in the third quarter, far faster than the roughly 2 percent pace officials at the Fed think of as its standard growth pace.That is great news for American companies. But it is a also a source of confusion. Why is the economy still growing so quickly more than a year and a half into the Fed’s campaign to slow it down, and how long will the upswing last?Fed officials have lifted interest rates above 5.25 percent, making it more expensive to take out a mortgage, borrow to expand a business or carry a credit card balance. Those moves were meant to trickle out through markets to cool the real economy. Some parts of the economy have felt the squeeze — existing home sales have slowed, for instance. Yet employers continue to hire and families keep spending.Customers were coming to Soergel Orchards to select pumpkins and apples.Ross Mantle for The New York Times“People love to pick — people will pick anything,” a manager said.Ross Mantle for The New York TimesCornstalks and gourds are in high demand at Soergel’s.Ross Mantle for The New York TimesIt is difficult to predict what comes next as the all-important holiday shopping season approaches. A solid job market and cooling inflation could combine to give consumers the wherewithal to keep powering the economy forward. But many companies are being careful not to build up too much inventory or predict too strong a sales outlook, worried that higher borrowing costs could collide with smaller savings piles and the accumulated effects of more than two years of rapid inflation to make Americans thriftier.“Sentiment definitely feels down,” Thomas Barkin, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, said during an interview on Oct. 19. “The folks I talk to are still clamping down in preparation for 2024.”What happens with holiday shopping could help shape what the Fed does next.The central bank has been trying to slow growth for a reason: Inflation has been above 2 percent for 30 months now. To get prices under control, policymakers think they need to tamp down demand.The logic is fairly simple. If rapid hiring continues and wage gains prove quick, people who are earning more money are likely to feel confident and keep spending. And if shoppers are eager to buy restaurant dinners, new gadgets and updated wardrobes, it will be easier for companies to protect their profits by raising prices.That is why Fed officials are keeping an eye on how strong consumers and the job market remain as they contemplate what to do next with interest rates. Policymakers are almost sure to leave rates unchanged at their meeting on Nov. 1, and a number of them have suggested that they may be done raising borrowing costs altogether.Soergel’s owners are bracing for a strong season in their store selling Christmas decorations.Ross Mantle for The New York TimesBut top officials have kept alive the possibility of one final quarter-point increase, if economic data were to remain buoyant.“We are attentive to recent data showing the resilience of economic growth and demand for labor,” Jerome H. Powell, the Fed chair, said in a recent speech, adding that continued surprises “could put further progress on inflation at risk and could warrant further tightening of monetary policy.”So far, companies offer a mixed picture on the outlook. Many are suggesting that seasonal shopping is off to a strong start. Halloween spending is expected to climb to a record $12.2 billion, up 15 percent from last year’s record of $10.6 billion, according to the National Retail Federation’s annual survey. The group is expected to release its holiday forecast this week.Walmart reported strong sales during its back-to-school season, which its chief executive noted was a good indicator for how spending would look during Halloween and Christmas.“Typically when back-to-school is strong, it bodes well for what happens with Halloween and Christmas,” Doug McMillon, the Walmart chief, said on an earnings call in August.But some companies are uncertain. The Tractor Supply chief executive, Hal Lawton, said during an earnings call last week that the retailer was stocking up on fall and winter décor — selling, for instance, a skeleton cow that was a “TikTok viral sensation.”But “we acknowledge there is a broader range of estimates for holiday, consumer spending than we’ve seen over the last couple of years,” he added.And some analysts think winter shopping could prove weak. Craig Johnson, founder of the retail consultancy Customer Growth Partners, expects holiday sales to grow at 2.1 percent, the slowest since 2012, he said in a report released Oct. 17.“The fact that people had a good Halloween doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re going to have a good holiday,” Mr. Johnson said. “It’s a different buying mentality and there’s not a carryover — you’re not going to see apparel lines from Halloween extend over into Christmas.”Retailers report that they are carefully watching how much inventory they have headed into the holidays, and a Fed survey of business experiences from around the Fed’s 12 districts referenced the word “slow,” “slower” or “slowing” 69 times.Demand at the on-site hard cider shop has been solid.Ross Mantle for The New York TimesPart of the challenge in forecasting is that consumers seem to be splitting into two groups: Wealthier consumers keep spending even as the bottom tier of shoppers either pull back or look for deals.The department store chain Kohl’s says it is seeing this type of bifurcation play out in its customer base and is adjusting its stores accordingly.Shoppers at the Kohl’s in Ramsey, N.J., were greeted with a range of already-discounted Christmas items like miniature snowmen and ornaments at the front of the store. That design was done on purpose — Kohl’s executives want the section to appeal to deal-hungry shoppers.But in a sign that higher earners could fuel growth, it has also started to stock new category items like decanters, wine glasses and electric corkscrews.“We want to make sure we’ve got the right broad breadth of assortment for the breadth of customer base that we’ve got,” said Nick Jones, Kohl’s chief merchandising and digital officer. “And that’s an element of making sure everything’s got to be great value. But great value doesn’t always mean low price.” More

  • 113 Shares189 Views

    in Economy

    Consumers Kept Spending in September, as Inflation Held Steady

    by

    Overall inflation stayed at 3.4 percent in September, down from a peak of around 7 percent.American consumers spent at a robust clip last month, fresh data showed, as the economy continued to chug along even after more than a year and a half of Federal Reserve interest rates increases.The Fed’s policy moves have been intended to slow demand in order to tamp down inflation. Price increases have been slowing down: Friday’s Personal Consumption Expenditures report also showed that overall inflation held steady at 3.4 percent in September.That was in line with what economists had expected, and is down from a peak of 7.1 percent in the summer of 2022. And after stripping out volatile food and fuel for a clearer sense of the underlying inflation trend, a closely-watched core inflation measure eased slightly on an annual basis.Still, Fed officials aim for 2 percent inflation, so the current pace is still much faster than their goal.The question confronting policymakers now is whether inflation can slow the rest of the way at a time when consumer spending remains so strong. Businesses may find that they can charge more if shoppers remain willing to open their wallets. Friday’s report showed that consumer spending climbed 0.7 percent from the previous month, and 0.4 percent after adjusting for inflation. Both numbers exceeded economist forecasts.The strong spending figures are likely not enough to spur Fed officials to react immediately: Policymakers are widely expected to leave interest rates unchanged at their meeting next week, which wraps up on Nov. 1. But such solid momentum could keep them wary if it persists.“You see inflation still generally trending in the right direction, so I think they’re willing to look past this,” said Carl Riccadonna, chief U.S. economist at BNP Paribas. “If this continues for multiple quarters, then I think that maybe it starts to wear a little bit thin: If you have persistent above-trend growth, then you have to start worrying about what the inflation consequences will be.”Fed policymakers have raised interest rates to 5.25 percent, up from near-zero as recently as March 2022, and many officials have suggested that interest rates are likely either at or near their peak.But policymakers have been careful to avoid entirely ruling out the possibility of another rate increase, given the economy’s staying power.A report yesterday showed that the economy grew at a 4.9 percent annual rate in the third quarter, after adjusting for inflation. That was a rapid pace of expansion, and was even faster than what forecasters had expected.“We are attentive to recent data showing the resilience of economic growth and demand for labor,” Jerome H. Powell, the Fed chair, said in a recent speech, adding that continued surprises “could put further progress on inflation at risk and could warrant further tightening of monetary policy.”Inflation has slowed over the past year for a number of reasons. Supply chains became tangled during the pandemic, causing shortages that pushed up goods prices — but those have eased. Gas and food prices had shot up after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, but have faded as drivers of inflation this year.Some of those changes have little to do with monetary policy. But in other sectors, the Fed’s higher interest rates could be helping. Pricier mortgages seem to have taken at least some steam out of the housing market, for instance. That could help by spilling over to keep a lid on rent increases, which are a big factor in key measures of inflation.Wrestling inflation down the rest of the way could prove to be more of a challenge. Almost all of the remaining inflation is coming from service industries, which include things like health care, housing costs and haircuts. Such price increases tend to stick around more stubbornly.For now, officials are waiting to see if their substantial rate moves so far will continue to feed through to cool the economy.There are reasons to think that growth could soon slow.“Despite the quarter-to-quarter gyrations in economic data, the Fed feels that it has restrictive policy in place,” said Mr. Riccadonna from BNP. “It’s really just a matter of waiting for the medicine to kick in, to a full degree.”Plus, a recent jump in longer-term interest rates could weigh on the economy. While the Fed sets short term rates directly, those market-based borrowing costs can take time to adjust — and they matter a lot. The jump in long term rates is making it much more expensive to take out a mortgage or for companies to borrow to fund their operations.Plus, consumers have slightly less money to spend: After adjusting for inflation, disposable income declined by 0.1 percent in September, Friday’s report showed. And global instability — including from the war between Israel and Hamas — could add to uncertainty and economic risk.“Despite the quarter-to-quarter gyrations in economic data, the Fed feels that it has restrictive policy in place,” Mr. Riccadonna from BNP. “It’s really just a matter of waiting for the medicine to kick in, to a full degree.” More

  • 113 Shares179 Views

    in Economy

    Inflation Held Steady in September, While Consumers Spent Robustly

    by

    Overall inflation stayed at 3.4 percent in September, down from a peak of around 7 percent.Inflation remained cooler in September even as consumers continued to spend at a rapid clip, a sign that the economy is chugging along despite the Federal Reserve’s efforts to contain price increases by weighing on demand.Price increases climbed by 3.4 percent in the year through September, based on the Personal Consumption Expenditures index. That was in line with forecasts, and matched the increase in August.After stripping out volatile food and fuel to get a sense of the underlying trend in prices, a core price measure climbed by 3.7 percent, also in line with economist expectations and down slightly from a revised 3.8 percent a month earlier.Fed officials aim for 2 percent inflation based on the measure released Friday — so prices are still climbing much more quickly than normal. But at the same time, price increases have moderated notably compared to the summer of 2022, when the overall P.C.E. measure eclipsed 7 percent. And encouragingly, inflation has come down even as the economy has remained very strong.Friday’s report provided additional evidence of that resilience. Consumer spending continued to grow at a brisk pace last month, picking up by 0.7 percent from the previous month, and 0.4 percent after adjusting for inflation.The question confronting Fed officials now is whether inflation can slow the rest of the way at a time when consumption remains so strong. Businesses may find that they can charge more if shoppers remain willing to open their wallets.Inflation has slowed over the past year for a number of reasons. Supply chains became tangled during the pandemic, causing shortages that pushed up goods prices — but those have eased. Gas and food prices had shot up after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, but have faded as drivers of inflation this year.Some of those changes have little to do with monetary policy. But in other sectors, the Fed’s higher interest rates could be helping. Pricier mortgages seem to have taken at least some steam out of the housing market, for instance. That could help by spilling over to keep a lid on rent increases, which are a big factor in key measures of inflation.But overall, the economy has been surprisingly resilient to higher borrowing costs. That is keeping the possibility of a further Federal Reserve rate move on the table, though investors still think one is unlikely.Policymakers have raised interest rates to 5.25 percent, up from near-zero as recently as March 2022. Many have suggested that interest rates are likely either at or near their peak. Officials are widely expected to leave interest rates unchanged at their two-day gathering next week, which wraps up on Nov. 1.But policymakers have been careful not to rule out the possibility of another rate increase, given the economy’s continued momentum.A report yesterday showed that the economy grew at a 4.9 percent annual rate in the third quarter, after adjusting for inflation. That was a rapid pace of expansion, and was even faster than what forecasters had expected.“We are attentive to recent data showing the resilience of economic growth and demand for labor,” Jerome H. Powell, the Fed chair, said in a recent speech, adding that continued surprises “could put further progress on inflation at risk and could warrant further tightening of monetary policy.”For now, officials are waiting to see if their substantial rate moves so far will feed through to cool the economy in coming months, especially because longer-term interest rates in markets have moved up notably in recent months. That is making it much more expensive to take out a mortgage or for companies to borrow to fund their operations, and could cool the economy if it lasts. More

  • 100 Shares149 Views

    in Economy

    U.S. Economic Growth Accelerated in the Third Quarter

    by

    Gross domestic product expanded at a 4.9 percent annual rate over the summer, powered by prodigious consumer spending. But the pace is not expected to be sustained.The United States economy surged in the third quarter as a strong job market and falling inflation gave consumers the confidence to spend freely on goods and services.Gross domestic product, the primary measure of economic output, grew at a 4.9 percent annualized rate from July through September, the Commerce Department reported Thursday. It was the strongest showing since late 2021, defying predictions of a slowdown prompted by the Federal Reserve’s interest rate increases.The acceleration was made possible in part by slowing inflation, which lifted purchasing power even as wage growth weakened, and a job market that has shown renewed vigor over the past three months.It’s a far cry from the recession that many had forecast at this time last year, before economists realized that Americans had piled up enough savings to power spending as the Fed moved to make borrowing more expensive.“There’s been an enormous increase in wealth since Covid,” said Yelena Shulyatyeva, senior economist for the bank BNP Paribas, referring to recent Fed data that showed median net worth climbed 37 percent from 2019 to 2022. “People still take not just one vacation, not just two, but three and four.”That level of spending in turn fueled robust job growth in service industries like hotels and restaurants even as sectors that benefited from pandemic shopping trends, like transportation and warehousing, returned to more normal levels. And with layoffs still near record lows, workers have little reason to hold off on making purchases, even if it means using a credit card — an increasingly pricey option as interest rates drift higher.One beneficiary of those open pocketbooks is Amanda McClements, who owns a home goods store in Washington, D.C., called Salt & Sundry. Sales are up about 15 percent from last year and have finally eclipsed 2019 levels.“People can’t get enough candles; that continues to be our top seller,” Ms. McClements said. They are also “entertaining more post-pandemic, so we do really well in glassware, tableware, beautiful linens.”Ms. McClements said business hadn’t been uniformly strong, though: Her plant store, Little Leaf, never snapped back from the depths of the pandemic, and it closed this year. “We’ve been experiencing a really uneven recovery,” she said.Although consumers propelled the bulk of the economy’s growth in the third quarter, other factors contributed as well. Residential investment, for example, provided a boost even in the face of higher interest rates: Those who already own homes have little incentive to sell, so newly constructed homes are the only ones on the market.“The third quarter would be that sweet spot where higher mortgage rates kept people in place, builders capitalized on the lack of existing supply, and that showed up as an improvement from prior quarters,” said Bernard Yaros, lead U.S. economist at Oxford Economics.The rebound in growth will probably be brief. Pitfalls loom in the fourth quarter, including the depletion of savings, the resumption of mandatory student loan payments and the need to refinance maturing corporate debt at higher rates.But for now, the United States is outperforming other large economies, in part because of its aggressive fiscal response to the pandemic and in part because it has been more insulated from impact of the Ukraine war on energy prices.“We’re talking about the eurozone and U.K. certainly looking like being on the cusp of recession, if not already in recession,” said Andrew Hunter, deputy U.S. economist for Capital Economics, an analysis firm. “The U.S. is still the global outlier.”Jeanna Smialek More

  • 113 Shares99 Views

    in Economy

    How High Interest Rates Sting Bakers, Farmers and Consumers

    by

    Home buyers, entrepreneurs and public officials are confronting a new reality: If they want to hold off on big purchases or investments until borrowing is less expensive, it’s probably going to be a long wait.Governments are paying more to borrow money for new schools and parks. Developers are struggling to find loans to buy lots and build homes. Companies, forced to refinance debts at sharply higher interest rates, are more likely to lay off employees — especially if they were already operating with little or no profits.Over the past few weeks, investors have realized that even with the Federal Reserve nearing an end to its increases in short-term interest rates, market-based measures of long-term borrowing costs have continued rising. In short, the economy may no longer be able to avoid a sharper slowdown.“It’s a trickle-down effect for everyone,” said Mary Kay Bates, the chief executive of Bank Midwest in Spirit Lake, Iowa.Small banks like Ms. Bates’s are at the epicenter of America’s credit crunch for small businesses. During the pandemic, with the Fed’s benchmark interest rate near zero and consumers piling up savings in bank accounts, she could make loans at 3 to 4 percent. She also put money into safe securities, like government bonds.But when the Fed’s rate started rocketing up, the value of Bank Midwest’s securities portfolio fell — meaning that if Ms. Bates sold the bonds to fund more loans, she would have to take a steep loss. Deposits were also waning, as consumers spent down their savings and moved money into higher-yielding assets.Higher Interest Rates Are Here More