Black Friday starts early, but expect fewer holiday deals
CBSN
Holiday shopping and Black Friday deals are already underway, with millions of Americans expected to hit stores and cruise for online discounts as they make up for lost time due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"There's a bit of pent-up demand, as consumers are still saving money on not traveling and vacationing as much," retail analyst and consultant Neil Saunders told CBS MoneyWatch. "There's also a determination to have a really good holiday, as last year was a bit of a washout."
The National Retail Federation forecasts record holiday spending, predicting retail sales will jump more than 10% to $859 billion. Early signals already point to robust spending, with sales climbing 1.7% last month as people purchased fitness gear, electronics and clothing heading into the holidays.
Authorities made two gruesome discoveries Tuesday after a Missouri woman walked into a police station and told officers that she fatally shot one of her children and drowned the other, officials said. Jefferson County Sheriff Dave Marshak said at a news conference that authorities believe both children were killed Tuesday morning.
Strong storms with damaging winds and baseball-sized hail pummeled Texas on Tuesday, leaving more than one million businesses and homes without power as much of the U.S. recovered from severe weather, including tornadoes, that killed at least 24 people in seven states during the Memorial Day holiday weekend.