This Changes Things hosts Baker Machado and Hope King give a recap of the day's biggest earnings reports. Walmart dips in the e-commerce division as it fights to compete with Amazon. Plus, Home Depot thanks the booming housing market for its uptick in sales this past quarter.
Walmart says sales rose steadily over the holiday season, but online sales growth actually slowed last quarter. Its e-commerce sales in the U.S. grew 23% in the quarter, which is down from 50% in the third quarter of 2017. Walmart cited operational snags as the reason for the dip in their e-commerce business.
Plus. the housing market helps Home Depot hit a home run. The number one U.S. home improvement chain said sales at stores that have been open more than a year rose 7.5% last quarter.
Chair Jerome Powell says the Federal Reserve only expects to cut rates once in 2024. But at least, as one economist says, ‘rate hikes are off the table.’
With the Fed likely set to leave rates unchanged, lower and middle income Americans will continue dealing with higher credit card interest and expenses.
Markets soared in May after Nvidia’s Q1 success, but concerns over slowing consumer spending, especially among middle—and lower-income groups, loom large.
