Retail sales, excluding cars, are expected to grow 5.5% over 2025 this Holiday season, supported by a healthy labor market and wealth gains, but about 2.8% of the increase is attributed to inflation, according to Mastercard SpendingPulse. Brick-and-mortar sales are forecast to gain 3.6%, while e-commerce is expected to grow 11%, underscoring the importance of an omnichannel approach. Like last year, Thanksgiving will fall relatively late, compressing the shopping season and potentially prompting retailers to launch promotions earlier, while Cyber Monday will fall on Nov. 30. Higher-income consumers may be setting ... Log in to view full article.