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U.S. retail sales rebound in August after declining due to Delta variant surge

The Xinhua news agency reported, the US Commerce Department stated Thursday that U.S. retail sales rebounded in August after declining in the previous month amid a Delta variant-driven COVID-19 surge.
According to the Xinhua, retail sales totaled 618.7 billion U.S. dollars in August, up 0.7 percent from the previous month, according to the report. In July, retail sales fell by downwardly revised 1.8 percent, as consumer concerns grew amid surging COVID-19 cases.
Retail sales had dropped in May after surging in the prior two months.
"Retail sales came in better than expected for August but followed large downward revisions to July," Diane Swonk, chief economist at major accounting firm Grant Thornton, wrote in a blog Thursday.

She wrote: "Vehicle sales fell on widespread shortages and price markups. Chip shortages idled production again in September, while flood damages from Hurricane Ida boosted demand."
Swonk also noted that inventories are "so tight" that some smaller dealers are unsure whether they will be able to cover overhead costs and "could go under" if inventories cannot be replenished soon.
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According to the official data, total sales for the June-August period were up 16.3 percent from the same period a year ago, indicating economic recovery from pandemic recession.
The recovery, however, has been dented by the recent Delta surge, leading to a decline in consumer confidence and a hiring slowdown.
The U.S. economy "has cooled significantly" as a result of the rapidly spreading Delta variant, the diminishing fiscal impulse and lingering supply constraints, according to Gregory Daco, chief U.S. economist at Oxford Economics.
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Looking forward, Swonk said data on the worst effects tied to the spread of the Delta variant and disruptions from Hurricane Ida is "still ahead of us."
Noting that this is at the same time that the additional support to unemployment insurance for millions has expired, Swonk said "we are poised to eke out a very modest gain for consumer spending during the quarter."
Source: xinhua
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BENEFIT Sponsors BuildHer...
- April 23, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
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