Marty Cantor, CPA and economic development consultant, joined Cheddar News to discuss the landscape of the retail industry. With cornerstone department stores like Bed, Bath and Beyond and Party City filing for bankruptcy, Cantor said "people are just running out of money." He said discretionary spending is halting as the cost of other goods and services increases, ultimately impacting the bottom line of major retail giants.
Chair Jerome Powell says the Federal Reserve only expects to cut rates once in 2024. But at least, as one economist says, ‘rate hikes are off the table.’
With the Fed likely set to leave rates unchanged, lower and middle income Americans will continue dealing with higher credit card interest and expenses.
Markets soared in May after Nvidia’s Q1 success, but concerns over slowing consumer spending, especially among middle—and lower-income groups, loom large.
