Eurodollar University Target Just Issued a Very Grim Warning About Consumer Behavior
Nov 5, 2025
Target is cutting 1,800 corporate roles and skipping seasonal hiring, hinting at weaker holiday expectations. Falling cardboard shipments signal a looming retail slump, while major layoffs at companies like UPS point to shrinking goods demand. There's a troubling shift in the labor market from hoarding workers to implementing cuts, reflecting a grim consumer sentiment despite stock market gains. The economy is becoming increasingly predictable, but in a concerning direction for demand.
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Retailers Pull Back Seasonal Hiring
- Major retailers are cutting corporate roles and skipping seasonal hiring, signaling weak holiday demand ahead.
- These moves show businesses expect lower sales, not just temporary tariff-driven uncertainty.
Box Shipments Signal Broader Demand Slump
- Falling shipments and layoffs at UPS and box makers point to broad demand weakness across goods and services.
- Cardboard box volumes are at decade lows, reinforcing a weak holiday shopping outlook.
From Hoarding Workers To Firing
- The economy has moved from 'low-hire, low-fire' to active layoffs as companies stop hoarding labor.
- Firms miscalculated a second-half rebound and now cut layers because consumer spending never recovered.