Brick and mortar stores are alive and well. Many are emerging from the pandemic with surprising strength, posting some of their best numbers in years and plotting expansions as shoppers venture out again to buy stuff.
More stores opened than closed in the U.S. last year for the first time since 1995, and the vacancy rate for retail properties fell to 6.1% in the spring - the lowest level in at least 15 years.
After more than a year and a half when only a third of containerships were reliably on schedule, the industry is showing strong improvements.
Nearly half of containerships were reliably on schedule in August and the average delay also continues to dramatically improve as the industry reports declines in volumes and a retreat from the surge experienced in 2021.
Reliability reached a low point in January when fewer than one in three vessels was on schedule.
Futures are down, again after stocks closed modestly lower yesterday. The Dow Industrials gave back 42, the NASDAQ fell 27 and the S&P 500 was down 7.
