GDP growth just a wee bit over 1/2 a percent for a full quarter. And the 4th quarter is the all-important Christmas season. Higher employment of temps. More shopping. I heard once that over 70% of durable goods are sold in that quarter.
I never set foot in a shopping center during Christmas. I bought Amazon Gift cards. Not physically able to shop and with 7 grands and 5 great grands that range in age 32- 2 yrs, no way I could have known individual wants or needs much less sizes. So I go to Kroger’s when I get my groceries and buy gift cards which after Thanksgiving they put out as 4 times the gas points. Get $3.00 over 2 months off a gallon of gas up to 35 gallons averaging a $22-30 per tank savings, and use my Discover and get another 1% back there, and pay it off each month so no interest fees.
Christmas is the biggest sales season of the year, if you don’t include Mother/Father’s Day. Shopping online was up double digits this year. Besides not being physically unable to shop, our big mall is high crime area and no guns allowed signs are up. And you can’t find a handicapped parking spot for nothing. Rude cashiers are another issue, and they are ill trained to boot as most temps in those positions are.