U.S. Consumer: Mixed Holiday Spending Expectations

This podcast episode analyzed U.S. consumer spending trends with a focus on plans for the holiday season. Despite a solid third quarter, signs of slowing consumer spending were noted. The shift from goods to services, the impact of excess savings, and the growing disparity between lower and higher income households were discussed. E-commerce is poised to make a substantial impact on holiday shopping, but overall expectations for the holiday spending season were cautious due to the expiration of student loan forbearance and inflation's impact on consumer purchasing power.