Ozempic is changing how we spend money and time, plus what we eat As people’s bodies change because of GLP-1s, so does their spending across industries including fashion, restaurants, gyms and travel.

Read (no paywall!) this @jackiepeiser.bsky.social piece with incredible facts and adorable illustrations! | Ozempic is changing how we spend money and time, plus what we eat wapo.st/3XXdDTZ

This toy company’s stock is outpacing Nvidia Build-a-Bear is bucking trends on two fronts: a thriving mall brand that sells items in a highly tariffed category.

Beanie Babies are not a good investment strategy, but be bullish on Build-a-Bear @jackiepeiser.bsky.social

Low-income Americans slash spending, a worrying sign for the economy The U.S. economy faces challenges as consumer spending weakens, with lower-income Americans hit hardest by rising prices and economic pressures.

Low-income Americans slash spending, a worrying sign for the economy

Spending is softening in a “fragmented way,” analysts warn, and even wealthy Americans are scaling back.

@jackiepeiser.bsky.social

www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...

Jeff Bezos announced that the Washington Post opinion page will no longer publish viewpoints opposing personal liberties and free markets.

In light of this news, I want to emphasize that there is a strong firewall between opinion and news at our publication.

U.S.-China trade war hits small and midsize businesses especially hard Many smaller businesses can’t afford to move manufacturing out of China while remaining competitive, experts say.

Read (with this free link) about what America's smaller owners are now facing, from @jackiepeiser.bsky.social and @aarongregg23.bsky.social. | U.S.-China trade war hits small and midsize businesses especially hard wapo.st/42WTi5b

Did you use BNPL to holiday shop? I’m looking to chat with folks who leaned on services like Klarna and Affirm to buy gifts for others — or themselves. DM me.

Americans rush to buy cars and appliances before Trump’s new tariffs Americans are stocking up on cars, appliances, electronics and other big-ticket items before the Trump administration’s tariffs on imports take hold. But economists say the sudden jump in demand could...

Americans rush to buy cars and appliances before Trump’s new tariffs By Abha Bhattarai & @jackiepeiser.bsky.social www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...

Amazon hit by Teamsters strikes during holiday rush The coordinated strikes ahead of Christmas are the largest by a union against Amazon, the country’s second-largest private employer.

I'm looking to chat with folks making alternative holiday gift-buying plans because of the Amazon warehouse strikes that will impact deliveries in NYC, Chicago, SF or Atlanta. DM me if this is you!

Hot Wheels sales are on fire, powered by adult collectors and nostalgia The Mattel toy’s enduring popularity after 56 years stems from its cross-generational appeal and connection to car culture.

Okay but hear me out: Toy cars are simply very fun!! @jackiepeiser.bsky.social www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...

FTC accuses alcohol distribution giant Southern Glazer’s of ‘unfair pricing’ For the first time in almost a quarter-century, federal regulators are trying to enforce a law that bars suppliers from charging different prices for the same product.

Lots of FTC + retail news this week: The FTC sued Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits, the largest alcohol distributor in the U.S. over its pricing and sales strategies. In doing so regulators resurrected a law that hasn't been tapped in more than two decades that bans unjustified price discrimination.

Next, she saw through the divestiture plan, saying there is "ample evidence" it won't be able to compete in scale "and is structured in a way that will significantly disadvantage C&S." Its "deficiencies" risk "some or all of the divested stores will lose sales or close," like previous C&S deals.

She also didn't buy K+A's promise to lower prices, noting it's not "legally binding" and "the Court must give limited weight to a non-binding promise." She also said there is nothing stopping the companies from making the same investment without a merger.

Regulators say this is also a win for consumers. The effectively judge agreed, noting that a combination of the #2 and #4 grocery chains would reduce competition, therefore lessoning incentive for the company to lower prices.

While I await the next version of my story on the Kroger-Albertsons merger to publish, I'll point out the impact of this ruling: For one, a source just texted me saying it's a "blowout win for the FTC." While the judge's ruling is temporary, experts say it will effectively kill the deal.

Kroger-Albertsons merger blocked by federal judge Kroger-Albertsons merger blocked by federal judge

A federal judge in Oregon blocked Kroger’s $24.6 billion acquisition of grocery rival Albertsons on Tuesday, marking the possible end of what would have been the largest supermarket merger in U.S. history.

BREAKING: Federal judges awards the FTC a preliminary injunction to block the Kroger-Alberstons merger. Story coming.

Online holiday sales set record, driven by higher-income shoppers Shoppers spent $41.1 billion on internet retail from Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday, according to Adobe Analytics.

Shoppers spent a record $41.1 billion online over the five-day sales event from Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday. But it was higher earners who drove sales. My latest:

Great story from @jeffstein.bsky.social @jacobbogage.bsky.social & Lisa Rein. This graf is particularly enlightening: www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...

In new WSJ oped, Musk & Ramaswamy say they believe SCOTUS could open the door to unilateral spending cuts, without Congress, based on what they say is the unconstitutionality of the 1974 budget law

Could be an absolutely massive fight

Confirms our reporting: www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...

Speaker Johnson restricts use of Capitol bathrooms by transgender people The rule change is announced about two weeks after Democrat Sarah McBride of Delaware became the first openly transgender individual elected to Congress.

Speaker Johnson said the House will restrict use of Capitol bathrooms by transgender people. The rule change comes about two weeks after Democrat Sarah McBride of Delaware became the first openly transgender individual elected to Congress.

www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...

Retail giant Target lowers holiday expectations, even as a rival thrives The day after Walmart predicted a strong fourth quarter, Target forecast a flat holiday shopping season as shoppers look for cheaper items.

And here's Target. The biggest takeaway? We all want discounts and value. So much so that we're trading down to cheaper retailers and holding off on discretionary buying until we can get the best discount. This is hurting Target way more than its chief rival.
www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...

Walmart sees higher-income shoppers as a key to holiday sales growth Households earning more than $100,000 made up 75 percent of its Walmart’s market share gains in the third quarter, chief executive Doug McMillon said.

Feels only right that my first post is about the Big Boys of Retail™: Target & Walmart. They had vastly different Q3 earnings results & varying outlooks for the rest of the year. Both offer insights into the holiday shopping season. Here's the details on WMT: www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...

I made a starter pack of @washingtonpost.com journalists on this app to make it easier for you to read / curse at us all go.bsky.app/D7WHbei