Posted on 11/29/2025 12:49:40 PM PST by abb
Black Friday retail sales growth picked up this year, Mastercard said Saturday, as shoppers shook off economic uncertainty and weak sentiment.
Why it matters: The consumer remains the engine of the U.S. economy, and a strong start to the holiday season will be reassuring to those who questioned whether tariffs and a soft labor market might crimp demand.
By the numbers: Friday's retail sales excluding autos rose 4.1%, Mastercard SpendingPulse said in a statement. That's stronger than last year's 3.4% growth.
Online sales rose 10.4%; in-store sales rose 1.7%. The data are not adjusted for inflation. Demand was strongest for clothes and jewelry.
The Mastercard data lines up with other evidence that shoppers turned out Friday.
Pass_by, which analyzes retail foot traffic, said in-store visits rose 1.17% this year versus last. Adobe Analytics estimated Black Friday online spending at $11.8 billion, up a full $1 billion from last year.
Between the lines: Though economic vibes are generally weak, retailers are still optimistic.
Walmart recently raised its outlook for the year, and the National Retail Federation expects this to be the first $1 trillion holiday season.
What to watch: Cyber Monday will be the next key indicator of retail's health.
Absurd article. Those measurements are in dollars. We have gone 2 months with no CPI report.
If you don’t know inflation magnitude, you can’t compare to a previous year. The units sold may be fewer but have higher prices.
Ever notice how all the media (financial and regular) are always dour, circumspect, and generally lacking hope and confidence in the economy during Republican administrations? During Democrat administrations we are instructed that unemployment is actually a good thing because it provides time to pursue hobbies of be with family. Runaway inflation? A mere figment of your imagination.
Safe and effective. Sharp as a tack.
My favorite was during the Obama years: “green shoots”
I’m not buying any of this. No sale.
Yep, always “despite jitters” etc always.
Retailers selling foreign imports are doing well . Great.
So their color War ain’t working lol;-)
Did Karl Rove write that headline?
Working on buying a Kia sportage today. Scary not
Settle down, Beavis
My interpretation of the headline:
Consumers feel no jitters, retail sales are up, despite jitters due to Orange Man Bad, worst economy since the Great Depression
Wasn’t this the week the No Kings dbags were supposed to declare “a Blackout i.e. no spending during this week.
If you did Are looking for evidence the seditious No Kings (bowel) movement is AstroTurf- Exhibit A.
Soros and Hoffmann should have spent the $$ to bribe the low wattage “resistors” not to spend $$
Many are having issues just buying food and they’re telling me there is a rush on to buy unnecessary frivolous stuff? I’m so jaded nowadays I believe none of it. The conflicting BS has become so glaring it’s become humorous. No joke.☺
In regards to much of these high prices out there, it’s pure greed.
We got our butts kicked yesterday. WAY busier than the last couple of years. I've never seen it that busy.
I was told there were 200 people waiting outside when we opened. I came in an hour later, and I believe it. At least 200.
How would you characterize your customer base?
Upper middle class?
High income?
Middle class?
Lower middle?
Curious, because the data seem to show those that have more disposable income are what’s fueling the buying and are not paying attention to all the media b&llsh!t about ‘economic uncertainty.’
I don’t think the revelation that folks with more money tend to spend more freely is exactly breaking news, lol.
Thanks for the local info.
I can also attest, anecdotally, that Friday was VERY busy at the outlet mall near me. Retail was alive and well, at least there and on that day. The parking lots were packed.
I saved about 4k on items I needed for my home remodel.
Could have saved much more but wasn’t ready to pull the trigger on the rest.
I’d say middle to upper-middle. Mostly a college/agricultural community.
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