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Grocery Shoppers Pivot As Inflation Reshapes Spending Grocery Shoppers Pivot As Inflation Reshapes Spending
Grocery Shoppers Pivot As Inflation Reshapes Spending As inflation continues to strain household budgets, consumers are scaling back purchases of both name-brand and private-label snacks and drinks.  TreeHouse Foods, a leading manufacturer of private-label products for major retailers like Walmart and Trader Joe’s, is now feeling the pinch, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal.  After initially benefiting from consumers shifting toward budget-friendly options, TreeHouse is now seeing slower sales growth as rising costs for essentials like coffee and eggs impact spending, the outlet said. Once a growth driver, private-lab…

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by Joe Lombardi
Business
Private Job Growth Hits Lowest Point In Months As Trump's Trade Wars Shake Economy Private Job Growth Hits Lowest Point In Months As Trump's Trade Wars Shake Economy
Private Job Growth Hits Lowest Point In Months As Trump's Trade Wars Shake Economy Job growth in the private sector slowed to its weakest pace in seven months, as hiring lags amid economic uncertainty and rising trade tensions, according to new data. Private employers added just 77,000 jobs in February, the ADP said in its National Employment Report released on Wednesday, Mar. 5. That number marks the smallest job growth since July 2024 and was down sharply from January's revised total of 186,000. February's data is the latest in a wave of troubling economic indicators during the first two months of President Donald Trump's return to office. "Policy uncertainty…

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by Chris Spiker
News
MD Among Best States For Grocery Affordability Based On Income, New Study Says MD Among Best States For Grocery Affordability Based On Income, New Study Says
MD Among Best States For Grocery Affordability Based On Income, New Study Says Inflation and soaring grocery prices are squeezing US households at the beginning of 2025, but a new study says Northeast families are spending less of their income on food than other parts of the country. A study from WalletHub called States Where People Spend the Most & Least on Groceries was released on Thursday, Feb. 13. Despite higher food costs, residents in many Northeast and mid-Atlantic states spend a smaller share of their incomes on groceries compared to others. WalletHub said the cost of groceries has surged more than 25 percent since 2019, straining household…

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by Chris Spiker
Business
Valentine's Day Spending To Hit Record High—And Not Just On Romantic Partners: Survey Valentine's Day Spending To Hit Record High—And Not Just On Romantic Partners: Survey
Valentine's Day Spending To Hit Record High—And Not Just On Romantic Partners: Survey Gift buying and date expenses for Valentine’s Day may reach new heights as Americans plan to spend more than ever on loved ones, a new survey said. US consumers will spend an estimated $27.5 billion in 2025, according to a survey from the National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights & Analytics. That would surpass the previous record of $27.4 billion in 2020 and 2024's total of $25.8 billion. Valentine's Day shoppers will spend an average of $188.81, slightly up from $185.81 in 2024. More than 56 percent plan to celebrate the holiday, an increase from 53 percent in 2024. M…

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by Chris Spiker
News
Fed Pauses Interest Rate Cuts Despite Trump's Push For Immediate Reduction Fed Pauses Interest Rate Cuts Despite Trump's Push For Immediate Reduction
Fed Pauses Interest Rate Cuts Despite Trump's Push For Immediate Reduction The Federal Reserve kept its key interest rate in place, pausing further cuts and ignoring a demand by President Donald Trump to immediately drop rates. After three months of reductions, the Fed decided to keep the key interest rate target at 4.25 to 4.5 percent. The Fed announced the decision on Wednesday, Jan. 29, after its first meeting since President Trump returned to the White House. Chair Jerome Powell said the Fed is monitoring inflation and economic stability under the Trump administration. "We remain committed to supporting maximum employment, bringing inflation sustain…

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by Chris Spiker
Business
7-Eleven To Close Hundreds Of Stores 7-Eleven To Close Hundreds Of Stores
7-Eleven To Close Hundreds Of Stores Convenience store chain 7-Eleven is closing hundreds of stores in North America. Parent company Seven & I Holdings said that the 444 locations were “underperforming.” They make up about 3 percent of 7-Eleven's total of around 13,000 outlets in the US, Canada, and Mexico. Specific sites of the stores have not yet been released. In announcing the closures, the company said that 7-Eleven stores saw a 7.3 percent decline in traffic in August, saying a "pullback in consumer spending has persisted beyond prior expectations" that has affected store traffic and sales growth "as consu…

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by Joe Lombardi
Business
Big Lots To Close Three Maryland Stores Big Lots To Close Three Maryland Stores
Big Lots To Close Three Maryland Stores Discount retail chain Big Lots is planning to close dozens of stores this year, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The retailer, which operates more than 1,400 stores nationwide - including 27 in Maryland - is planning to shutter the doors of approximately 40 locations.  The company cited rising costs and inflation as reasons for the move, and a bankruptcy filing could reportedly be on the way. None of Virginia's 42 Big Lots stores are among those listed. In Maryland, stores in Reisterstown, Laurel, and Lexington Park are reportedly among the doz…

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by Zak Failla