VOA News | Friday, November 24, 2023 
‘A Lot Quieter’ Black Friday Brings Out Discount Hunters 

NEW YORK / RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA — Shoppers took to stores across the nation on a Black Friday that appeared subdued compared with those of prior years, looking for discounted electronics, clothing and household goods in the kickoff to the holiday shopping season crucial to big retailers. Brokerage TD Cowen lowered its U.S. holiday spending estimate to 2% to 3% growth, from 4% to 5%, as it forecast flat Black Friday traffic. Discounts in October and November removed the excitement and urgency of Black Friday. b”People have already got what they want,” said David Klink, senior analyst at Huntington Private Bank, which owns shares of Walmart and Target. “There are only so many big-screen TVs and Alexa [Amazon voice assistants] you can buy.” With many consumers squeezed by persistent inflation and high interest rates, U.S. holiday spending is expected to rise at the slowest pace in five years. Most major retailers slashed their seasonal hiring. Retailers will likely continue to discount throughout the season to avoid inventory gluts at year-end…Read more