Investing and Global Finance News

Category Archives: Personal Finance

Concerns about Holiday Spending

The upcoming holiday season poses challenges for U.S. retailers in apparel, electronics, and home improvement sectors. Businesses are unsure if increased discounts will drive anticipated consumer spending. October’s sales figures indicated a slowdown in economic demand, leading to a mixed holiday outlook as retailers gear up for Christmas shopping.

To entice consumers during Thanksgiving, retailers launched early holiday deals and competitive promotions. However, major players like Lowe’s and Best Buy reported reduced year-over-year sales and adjusted yearly forecasts. Best Buy’s CEO, Corie Barry, noted the erratic and unpredictable nature of current consumer demand, “In the more recent macro environment, consumer demand has been even more uneven and difficult to predict”.

The S&P 500’s consumer discretionary sector dropped 1% after a 31% rise in 2023, projecting the slowest holiday sales growth in five years, suggesting a potential decrease in American holiday shopping.

Higher interest rates, inflation, and resumed student loan repayments are expected to strain consumer spending. While some sectors like activities and services show resilience, those focusing on discretionary goods like home, apparel, and electronics face ongoing challenges.

Although some investors are hopeful about better-than-expected Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales due to improved inflation and stable interest rates, concerns persist regarding declining consumer spending.

BI Trends for 2022

It seems that automation is permeating practically every aspect of our lives. From grocery shopping to banking, communicating to cooking—automation functions and platforms are making every task easier and accessible. And business intelligence (BI) is no exception. Automation is set to be one of the biggest trends in that industry in 2022. Alongside process automation,… Continue Reading

2020 New York Business Journal’s Women of Influence Announced

2020 New York Business Journal’s Women of Influence Announced

Dorit Ungar Black, a founding partner at New York’s Holwell Shuster & Goldberg LLP was named as one of ten  Women of Influence in 2020 by the New York Business Journal. The women recognized this year are all pioneers in the legal, finance, engineering, and real estate industries. They have all demonstrated professional and communal… Continue Reading

Crisis as Opportunity for Female Leadership

Crisis as Opportunity for Female Leadership

The coronavirus pandemic is generating thousands of opportunities for women to showcase their strengths and step into leadership positions. The economies disrupted by COVID-19 will eventually need to be realigned. Businesses around the world will be redefining their operational models and reassessing their business strategies. European Central Bank President, Christine Lagarde, argues that the male… Continue Reading

How to Support Women-Led Businesses During Crisis

How to Support Women-Led Businesses During Crisis

Since the very outset of the pandemic, COVID-19 has had a crippling ripple effect across world economies and international supply chains. In every country, businesses are navigating devastating obstacles: detrimental drops in revenue, debt, and job loss. For small and medium outfits, also known as SMEs, the financial turmoil is particularly devastating. And women-owned SMEs are feeling… Continue Reading

Finding the Balance in Tech and Business

Finding the Balance in Tech and Business

Distinction and nuance are not common these days. Everyone is eager to either be “all in” or “totally against” the newest and coolest fads, fashions, and even phones. Current economic, social, political, and personal realities have yielded a climate of cynicism about the dangers of social media, the disturbing possibilities of digital surveillance on smartphones, and the power stronghold… Continue Reading

New York Offers Grants for Business to Corona Comply

New York Offers Grants for Business to Corona Comply

Corona has forced changes in every part of life. Stores are not the same place we were used to just a few months ago. There are less people walking around, plastic partitions at checkout, customers and clerks wearing face masks, and many more disinfecting stations. These modifications are costly and many businesses, already strapped after… Continue Reading

How Fintech is Helping Small Businesses

How Fintech is Helping Small Businesses

The current ongoing coronavirus pandemic has led to some remarkable business discoveries, including the revelation that fintechs, primarily online financial service companies, are effective liaisons for small business owners as well. The agility and flexibility that most fintech companies have allows them to be responsive in real-time; they experienced fewer policy and bureaucratic hurdles than… Continue Reading