RXI News and Press, iShares Global Consumer Discretionary From 05/17/22

A significant decline in the US retail footprint is imminent as sales continue to shift online, turbocharging the next leg of digital advertising spending in the US. Although the US e-commerce penetration scaled from less than 5% of total retail sales in 2011 to nearly 14% in 2021, it...

Consumer spending rose by 2.7% in Q1, annual rate, adjusted for raging inflation. Gross private domestic investment rose by 2.3% annualized, following the spectacular spike in Q4. Less-catastrophic imports, thereby a less-catastrophic trade deficit, will reduce the drag on GDP. ...

In addition to rampant inflation in the price of grain and other foodstuffs, the markets are seeing a major supply shortfall of cooking oils, including sunflower and palm oils, that is causing their prices to surge as well. Looking ahead to Q2 2022, 15 retailers issued negative preann...

AIER’s Lagging Indicators index was unchanged for the third consecutive month, holding at 83 in April. Real gross domestic product fell at a 1.4 percent annualized rate in the first quarter versus a 6.9 percent rate of gain in the fourth quarter. The median sales price of a...

McDonald's shares once more are battling to stay above the 200-day moving average. The restaurant chain beat earnings and sales estimates in the first quarter. Earnings and cash flow trends suggest dividend growth will continue. For further details see: McDonald's: Divid...

While there are some issues like unionization, accumulation of debt, and the reemergence of Howard Schultz, Starbucks's growth and free cash flow generation remain strong. The macro-environment favors companies that generate cash now rather than later - Starbucks falls in the first ca...

Consumers continue to spend at a healthy pace. But will it last? Will consumer discretionary stocks get more love this year? Kim Parlee speaks to Jacky He, Global Consumer Discretionary Analyst, TD Asset Management, about the health of the consumer. For further details see: ...

We don’t see a wage-price spiral. Companies are actually paying less in labor per unit of output, we find. We think wages can rise more without adding to inflation. The S&P 500 plunged to new 2022 lows last week. We remain overweight equities in the inflationary backdrop bu...

Inflation and rising interest rates create an uphill journey for the consumer and the economy. Rising treasury yields, elevated inflation and slowing real economic growth are factors being watched by both equity and fixed income investors. Year-to-date, equity market volatility sp...

St. Louis Fed President James Bullard, in an interview with the FT last week, said it is a “fantasy” to believe that the Fed can bring down inflation sufficiently without raising key interest rates to a level where they will constrain economic growth. The good news is th...