After a Big Black Friday, Retail Sales Drop

The Takeaway

Are you done with your Christmas shopping yet? If you are, you’re not alone. After having a bang up Thanksgiving, seasonal retail sales have taken a huge dive. According to the Department of Commerce, sales fell 2.4 percent in the first two weeks of December, the biggest drop in that Christmas sales time slot since 2005. Are Americans done with their shopping? Louise Story is Wall Street and finance reporter for our partner The New York Times. She tells us what’s behind the new retail numbers.

Invest in independent global news

The World is an independent newsroom. We’re not funded by billionaires; instead, we rely on readers and listeners like you. As a listener, you’re a crucial part of our team and our global community. Your support is vital to running our nonprofit newsroom, and we can’t do this work without you. Will you support The World with a gift today? Donations made between now and Dec. 31 will be matched 1:1. Thanks for investing in our work!