Congress unveils bill to avert Friday government shutdown with over $100B in disaster aid

Congressional leaders have unveiled plans to avoid a partial government shutdown before Friday's federal funding deadline. House Republicans released a 1,547-page document on a short-term extension of government funding levels for fiscal year 2024 (FY) to give lawmakers more time to agree on funding for the remainder of fiscal year 2025. This is the second […]

Black Friday spending in US retail stores muted compared to online purchases

Online Black Friday spending rose this year, in contrast to more robust growth, as bargain-hungry Americans avoided stores and bought cellphones and laptops, according to data from Mastercard and other data providers. , Black Friday spending at U.S. retailers slowed. Preliminary estimates from payment processing company MasterCard show that sales at brick-and-mortar stores rose just […]

Online sales surge to record-setting $10.8B on Black Friday as stores see thin crowds

Americans shopped freely on Black Friday as online spending soared to a record $10.8 billion. According to data provided by Adobe Analytics, that sales figure includes a breathtaking $11.3 million spent every minute between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. the day after Thanksgiving, when most purchases were made. Customers were reportedly using their mobile phones […]