Anthony Ferry was not surprised by the latest retail sales report as consumers continue to look for bargains and using BNPL at record levels. He expects the same trends to continue, emphasizing “need to haves” rather than “want to haves.” Brian Jacobsen notes a decline in big-ticket items, partially driven by tariffs. He thinks consumers took advantage of the holiday shopping season by slowing down beforehand. He anticipates tax returns bridging the gap between the labor market and GDP growth.