Hints and tips:
...Debauve was the royal pharmacist and official chocolatier to Marie Antoinette. Or so the story goes....
...“For a toy store, the holiday season — it’s the most exciting time of the year for us.”...
...Although traffic at Target’s stores improved in the holiday quarter it still declined 1.7 per cent from a year ago, while the average transaction amount slid 2.8 per cent as shoppers sought out deals....
...Inflation fell to 3.9 per cent in November from 4.6 per cent in October, a bigger than expected drop, official data showed on Wednesday....
...Chinese premier Li Qiang urged officials today to work on “boosting confidence” in the first meeting of the country’s cabinet after the lunar new year holidays, as new data highlighted a striking drop-off...
...Its data also showed consumer spending fell on average by 5.5 per cent during China’s important Golden Week holiday in 2023 compared with a year earlier....
...Sore score | Senior SNP figures were scrambling to salvage Michael Matheson’s career after it emerged that he ran up more than £7,000 of data roaming charges in one day during a holiday to Morocco, the Times...
...A top Federal Reserve official has said the US central bank should “push back” the timing of cutting interest rates after “disappointing” inflation data....
...It’s also a national holiday....
...Ukraine has stepped up drone strikes on oil refineries deep inside Russia, in what officials say is an intensifying effort to hit the country’s economy....
...“The huge box office success of Barbie and Oppenheimer meant entertainment enjoyed another strong month, while holidays abroad boosted international travel and pharmacy, health and beauty stores,” said Esme...
...Signet Jewelers, discount store Five Below, pet retailer Chewy, homebuilder KB Home and chipmaker Micron also report results today....
...Walmart, and discount retailers TJX and Ross Stores, all reported an uptick in customer traffic and comparable sales growth....
...According to last week’s official data retail sales in the US are generally still holding up but earnings from some of the country’s big chains have highlighted cracks in consumer confidence....
...Its first few kilometres, out of the chaotic streets of Puerto Montt, are lined with restaurants and convenience stores that might fool you into thinking the trip won’t be so adventurous after all....
...There will be no newsletter tomorrow as we mark the November 1 bank holiday. See you on Thursday....
...The official line from the local government is that tensions in Forte dei Marmi have been carefully contained....
...According to news reports at the time, Kurz and his justice minister ordered a commercial court in Vienna to remain open during the holiday so the transaction could be approved....
...The Buenos Aires stock market was closed for a public holiday but reopens this morning. Here’s more on the reaction to Milei’s decisive victory....
...He tried to talk to the store manager about the danger of mislabelling food products but didn’t get far. So he submitted an official complaint to the county health department....
...Trailing in their wake came a mother and daughter from Nebraska, who took a break from their summer holiday to hand out sacks of McDonald’s chicken McNuggets....
...Shoppers have been spending more in stores while getting less since prices started surging in 2021....
...Up and down the high street, if shoppers do venture into a store, it’s getting harder to find decent service....
...She recalls the close bonds between neighbours and outdoor parties organised on public holidays such as carnival. “All that is gone.”...
...The interest rate riddle: The arguments that inflation is temporary could prove too optimistic for two (overlapping) reasons, argues Martin Wolf....
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