Marketplace All-in-One Off-price retailers shine as consumer moods sour
Nov 21, 2025
Greg Ip, an Economics columnist for The Wall Street Journal, shares insights on the latest jobs data and rising unemployment rates. Kristen Schwab highlights how political affiliation is increasingly influencing consumer sentiment. Carla Javier explains the success of off-price retailers like TJX, as they thrive amid economic strain, while Target struggles. Justin Ho discusses the sluggish shipping industry and potential recessions within freight capacity. Together, they analyze how these factors shape the current economic landscape.
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Jobs Point To A "No Hire, No Fire" Economy
- September jobs data showed modest hiring: 119,000 jobs in September but August revised down, averaging ~60,000 monthly.
- Greg Ip says this implies a "no hire, no fire" economy with slow job creation and rising unemployment.
Missing CPI Clouds Policy Decisions
- The BLS canceled the October CPI, leaving a gap in official inflation data ahead of Fed decisions.
- Greg Ip notes missing CPI data hampers clarity on inflation when jobs and inflation are the Fed's main concerns.
Fed Dissent Reflects Data And Politics
- Fed officials show unusually strong disagreement over policy due to mixed labor and inflation signals.
- Greg Ip warns political affiliations of appointers risk politicizing Fed decisions if that trend continues.