Consumers, Russia & The Metaverse

Check out the accompanying pdf and chart collection. Executive Summary: With gasoline prices down in July, consumers had more money to spend on discretionary purchases, and retailers of most kinds benefited. Jackie taps Target’s Q2 results for consumer-spending trends and takeaways . … Also: Waging war in Ukraine has cost the Russian economy a great deal, but Q2 GDP contracted much less than economists expected, buoyed by the high prices that Russia’s energy exports fetched. … And: The Metaverse is hopping with diverse events—from concerts and celebrity-hosted parties to fashion shows and fine art sales. And everyone’s invited.