The politicized Government's BLS data shows low unemployment numbers and increasing GDP numbers. The Financial Media's propaganda narrative is the US Economy is Great. They invite financial experts to tell the Citizens that the economy is growing and a recession is years away. The Central Banks like China are injecting Trillions of Yuan into the Financial system causing the Stock Market to ascend to towards all time highs.
The Americans that are invested in the Stock Market feel the Wealth Effect. Their Investment Portfolio's paper value is rising.
This allows the Government to fudge the economic data to reflect a growing Economy, but the Government cannot manipulate the Retail Store Closures numbers. because store closures are an economic reality.
The Financial Media would be the first to point out Online Sales and "The Amazon Effect" are the cause of these Store Closures. Fact: Online Sales are only 10% of the total US Retail Sales and the Great Amazon is only 5% of total Online Sales.
Here are some troublesome Retail Data.
The retail research company Challenger, Gray & Christmas data shows retail layoffs were up a 92 percent in January and February compared to last year. In the last three months over 41,000 people have lost their jobs. For these people they are feeling the Economic Recession. Many Retail Store chains are closing stores, but lets look at the Bell weather Walmart.
Here are the list of Walmart Stores Closing so far this year.
6085 W. Chandler Blvd., Chandler, Arizona
3900 W. Ina Road, Tucson, Arizona
1600 Saratoga Ave., San Jose, California
712 N. Western Ave., Liberal, Kansas
1229 NE. Evangeline Trwy., Lafayette, Louisiana
3603 Broad River Road, Columbia, South Carolina
1757 W. Andrew Johnson Hwy., Morristown, Tennessee
2501 University Commons Way, Knoxville, Tennessee
7000 Iron Bridge Road, North Chesterfield, Virginia
2864 Virginia Beach Blvd., Virginia Beach, Virginia
7809 NE. Vancouver Plaza Dr., Vancouver, Washington
Last year Walmart's Sam's Club had many store closures.
So once again Wall Street is Booming & Main Street is Suffering.
The US Consumer's debt levels are at all time highs and thus Consumer spending is down. The average American is already in a Recession and like always Wall Street will be the last to know.