Sponsored by

Shoppers Keep Spending Despite Gloomy Mood; Port of L.A. Operations Resume After Ship Fire By Mark R. Long | WSJ Logistics Report

The biggest U.S. retailers are finding that Americans are on a year-end shopping spree, even as consumer sentiment sinks close to a record low. Despite hand-wringing over tariffs and a wobbling economy, shoppers are spending money where they see value , the WSJ's Suzanne Kapner and Sarah Nassauer write.

Recent financial results from Walmart, Gap, T.J. Maxx parent TJX and other chains are pointing to a solid holiday shopping season. The National Retail Federation expects retail sales in November and December to grow 3.7% to 4.2% compared with the same period a year ago, to $1.01 trillion to $1.02 trillion. That growth is comparable to last year.

Earlier in the year, retailers feared the holiday season would be a dud. Imported clothes, toys, electronics and other popular gifts had high tariffs. Consumers felt pinched by rising food prices and reports of layoffs soured sentiment. Although many retailers haven't seen spending decline, the mood among consumers remains gloomy . A final readout from the University of Michigan's sentiment survey dropped to 51 in November, near one of the lowest levels in the monthly poll's history.

Inflation-adjusted average hourly earnings stagnated

in September for the second month in a row-a sign rising prices are continuing to eat into Americans' take-home pay. (WSJ) President Trump removed his 40% tariffs

on beef products, coffee, various fruits and other agricultural and food goods from Brazil as he seeks to address affordability issues. (WSJ) BJ's Wholesale Club said purchasing habits remained stable

as it posted a 4.9% rise in quarterly total revenue to $5.35 billion. (WSJ) CONTENT FROM: PENSKE LOGISTICS Gain the Big Picture. Gain Ground with Penske Logistics.

When it comes to streamlining your transportation, outsourcing is in. So let Penske Logistics sweat the small stuff for you. Our dedicated transportation services help take care of all your truck, driver and fleet maintenance needs so you can keep your eye on the bigger picture for your business.

Learn More

Number of the Day Ocean Shipping

Operations at the Port of Los Angeles resumed Saturday after a containership that had caught fire Friday evening was towed about a mile out to sea and the blaze largely contained . No injuries were reported and all 23 crew members of the One Henry Hudson were accounted for, with some initially helping fire fighters gain access

to the vessel's lower decks, the Los Angeles Fire Department said.

The electric fire started below deck

and spread to other levels of the ship, sparking an explosion, the Associated Press reported. The cause is under investigation and about 100 containers burned. Officials said some carried lithium-ion batteries and other hazardous materials, though it wasn't clear whether they caught fire. The vessel, owned by Japanese carrier Ocean Network Express, or ONE, is Panamanian flagged , according to Vessel Finder, and had sailed to L.A. from Tokyo.

Quotable In Other News U.S. private-sector activity accelerated for a second straight month

in November, on expectations of lower interest rates and following the end of the government shutdown. (WSJ) Canadian retail sales were flat

in October, following a drop in trade in September. (WSJ) Mexico's economic activity contracted in the third quarter with a decline in industrial production

offsetting modest growth in services. (Dow Jones Newswires) Tyson Foods is planning to close one of its largest beef processing plants

in Nebraska at a time when a cattle shortage in the U.S. squeezes meatpacking companies. (WSJ) Finland's Nokia is investing an additional $4 billion

in U.S. manufacturing and R&D, focusing on AI-ready network infrastructure. (WSJ) Union Pacific changed how it moves containers

from Los Angeles to Cincinnati, shifting originating terminals closer to Southern California warehouses. (Journal of Commerce) Danish carrier A.P. Moller-Maersk is moving its North American headquarters

to Charlotte, N.C., from northern New Jersey. (Charlotte Observer) Zambia started a $1.4 billion revamp of a railway

financed and built with China's help in the 1970s that connects the country's copper region to an Indian Ocean port. (Bloomberg) Canada Post and the mail carriers' union said they reached agreements in principle

for new contracts after two years of bargaining, as the service posted its biggest-ever quarterly loss . (Globe & Mail) Canada announced $4.26 billion in infrastructure spending

over seven years to boost the country's non-U.S. exports. (TrainsPRO) The U.S. Department of Transportation threatened to hold back almost $75 million in funding if Pennsylvania doesn't revoke commercial driver licenses allegedly issued illegally to immigrants . (Associated Press) A group of U.S. lawmakers introduced a bill to require all testing for a CDL

to be conducted in English. (The Trucker) About Us

Mark R. Long is editor of WSJ Logistics Report. Reach him at [mark.long@wsj.com]. Follow the WSJ Logistics Report team on LinkedIn: Mark R. Long , Liz Young and Paul Berger .

This article is a text version of a Wall Street Journal newsletter published earlier today.

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

November 24, 2025 07:04 ET (12:04 GMT)

Copyright (c) 2025 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.