Latest Industry Insights
Apparel Producer Prices Rise 1% for Second Straight Month
Producer prices of apparel rose by 1% in October compared to the same month last year, the same as September’s increase, and tied for the smallest monthly increase in the measure since December 2010, according to recently-released US government … [Read More...]
Retail Employment Picks Up in October
The retail industry added 36,000 jobs in October, and now employs 14.8 million people in the U.S., making it one of the largest employment sectors in our economy. Retail hiring activity at this time of year is often a reliable barometer of … [Read More...]
Consumers Finally Start To Open Up Their Wallets
Incomes improved for the second straight month in September, according to the most recently revised government data, and it seems Americans are now starting to spend, rather than save, more of their take-home pay than before. Personal disposable … [Read More...]
Apparel Industry Stocks Lag Market in October
The Dow Jones Industrial Average was flat in the four weeks ending October 26, bringing the year-to-date rise to 7.3%. Industry stocks did even worse, however. Retail stocks fell by .9%, and the manufacturer/wholesale index plunged 3.6%, despite … [Read More...]
Cotton Prices Edge Up in October
Cotton prices rose by a little over two cents in October, from 65 to almost 68 cents per pound. The 7-market average U.S. spot price for upland cotton surged briefly during the month to almost 72 cents before dropping. Prices remain about 35% … [Read More...]
Features
Are Apparel Retailers Shooting Themselves in the Footprint?
(ApparelStrategist.com executive editor Judith Russell reflects on the state of bricks-and-mortar retailing.) On a recent afternoon I spent 20 minutes doing errands that a year or two ago would have taken me about eight hours to do. Instead of jumping into my SUV and taking multiple trips to … [Read More...]
