Retail industry

• Saks Global announces new CEO as it reportedly prepares for bankruptcy - The company was created in July 2024 after Hudson's Bay Co. acquired Neiman Marcus.
• These restaurant chains closed locations in 2025 - Chains like Starbucks, Wendy's and Denny's announced plans to close underperforming restaurants in 2025.
• Restaurants' hottest menu item in 2025 was 'value.' That won't change next year - Restaurant chains bet on value in 2025, and they're not likely to ditch the strategy next year.
• Tariffs hit boots, bags and more as leather prices jump — and relief could be years away - Leather prices are expected to continue rising in 2026 as Trump's tariffs crimple a global supply-chain while domestic manufacturing and cattle herds are down.
• Holiday retail spending rose 4.2% this season, driven by e-commerce and electronics: Visa report - U.S. holiday retail spending rose 4.2% as consumers spent more on tech and apparel, with online sales jumping 7.8%, Visa data shows, despite higher prices.
• Supplements in your stocking: Why wellness gifts are gaining steam for the holidays and beyond - Retailers are blurring the lines between beauty and wellness as customers look for holiday gifts and focus on self-care.
• Why the chocolate in your holiday candy could be ‘fake’ this year - Unpredictable cocoa markets have prompted some candy makers to rethink how they're sourcing chocolate.
• Here are 5 key events that drove the stock market last week - Stocks finished higher Friday, lifted by the volatile artificial intelligence trade, leading the market to the upside for the week.
• How Build-A-Bear went from a penny stock to a retail winner - Build-A-Bear Workshop's business plummeted during the pandemic, but under CEO Sharon Price John, the company has undergone a significant turnaround.
• Wall Street banked on a flurry of deals under Trump in 2025. It wasn't that simple - Dealmakers expected a flood of M&A to take place in 2025 following the election of President Trump. The number of transactions didn't live up to the hype.