Core inflation rate hit 3.4% in May, highest since October 2023, Fed’s preferred gauge shows at CNBC. "The personal consumption expenditures price index showed inflation running at a seasonally adjusted 4.1% annual rate, the highest since April 2023, according to a Commerce Department report Thursday." Read more   Apple raises prices of MacBooks, iPads as memory costs skyrocket at Reuters. "The move does not affect Apple's main cash cow, the iPhone...Apple hiked the price of MacBook Air with 512 gigabytes of storage rose to $1,299 from $1,099, while the MacBook Pro with ​1 terabyte of storage rose to $1,999 [...]

  Amazon Prime Day starts today Press release   Bath & Body Works partners with Ulta Beauty at Reuters. "Ulta Beauty shoppers will soon be able to purchase Bath & Body Works' signature fragrances, hand soaps ​and candles in more than 600 stores from July 12..." Reuters subs.   Forbes Top Creators 2026 "Meet the stars of YouTube, TikTok, Instagram and other powerhouse influencers turning massive fanbases into millions of dollars." Forbes top 50 list subs.   How Pokémon Cards Became Scarce, Valuable and Surprisingly Dangerous at Bloomberg. "TPCI reported $12 billion in sales last year across its Pokémon ventures, [...]

  Kroger Q1 ID sales (ex-fuel) +1.0% Press release   U.S. filings for unemployment benefits fall to 226,000 last week as layoffs remain historically low AP   Hollister partners with Target to tap into $89 billion back-to-college shopping market at CNBC. "Hollister is partnering with Target to start selling home and dorm decor for the first time...The collaboration will launch online, in most Target stores and select Hollister locations on June 28 and will feature almost 60 items across men’s and women’s apparel and bedding." Read more   McKinsey: The State of Grocery North America 2026 "A small set of [...]

  China retail sales decline for first time since 2022 at Yahoo. "Retail sales decreased 0.6% from a year ago in May, the National Bureau of Statistics reported. This marked a reversal from the 0.2% increase in April and sharper than the expected 0.3% decline." Read more   Most Trusted Brands 2026: Morning Consult; Amazon #13 / Home Depot #25 / Gen Z: Costco #4 Read more/Download report   Kohl's Names Elliott Rodgers Chief Operating Officer "Most recently, Rodgers was Chief Operations Officer at Foot Locker, Inc....held...leadership roles at Ulta Beauty...spent six years at Target in distribution and omnichannel operations..." [...]

  Amazon knocks Walmart from the top spot on Fortune 500 for the first time in 13 years at GeekWire "Only four companies have ever held the No. 1 spot in the 72-year history of the Fortune 500 list: General Motors, ExxonMobil, Walmart, and now Amazon." Read more | Fortune full list (subs.)   Sam’s Club names new chief operating officer at Talk Business. "Sam’s Club has promoted Steve Schrobilgen, who once worked as a club cart pusher, as its next chief operating officer and executive vice president. He replaces Tom Ward who retired amid recent management changes at Sam’s [...]

  Amazon Announces Prime Day Event from June 23–26 Press release   ...Target Circle Deal Days June 23–26 Press release   The Walmart blueprint: CEO John Furner’s first interview in the top job at Fast Company. "As thousands of Walmart employees descend on Arkansas for the company’s annual Associates Week, Furner sat down for his first in-depth conversation in his new role. He discussed everything from leading through a moment of massive change to turning forklift operators and developers alike into AI builders." Fast Company subs.   Dollar General Q1 comp sales +2.0% "...increases of 1.4% in customer traffic and [...]

  Core inflation hit an annual rate of 3.3% in April, as expected at CNBC. "...the soft monthly readings could provide some hope that the burst in prices over the previous month had begun to ease...gross domestic product growth in the first quarter was less than expected. GDP accelerated at an annualized rate of just 1.6% for the period (vs. 2.0% expected)..." Read more   Best Buy Q1 comp sales +2.0% "We are...maintaining our guidance for the year,” said Matt Bilunas, Best Buy CFO. “Comparable sales have started strong in May, with month-to-date growth up high single digits. Our comparable [...]

  How Barnes & Noble Became Private Equity’s Most Radical Retail Experiment at Bloomberg. "To understand the strategy that’s brought Barnes & Noble Inc. back from the retail abyss, you first have to understand the pyramid...no two pyramids on the dozens of tables inside each of the company’s nearly 750 locations are alike...The method is now so revered among Barnes & Noble employees, every one of them I interviewed in reporting this story used the word “pyramid” as a verb, including the company’s chief executive officer, James Daunt..."  Bloomberg subs.   Big Tobacco comes out on top after US FDA [...]