Tuesday, November 4, 2025

Deciphering the State of the US Consumer


Gen Z is under financial pressure. Fast-casual chains are feeling it.
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/gen-z-is-under-financial-pressure-fast-casual-chains-are-bearing-the-brunt-133113618.html
Student loan repayments, unemployment, slower wage growth, and higher rent are causing Gen Z to pull back.


Chipotle’s Big Bet on Younger Consumers Is Unraveling
https://www.wsj.com/business/hospitality/chipotle-young-americans-cc90b899
The chain’s sales slide as younger Americans feel the pinch from rising student-loan payments, stagnant wage growth and rising health-insurance costs. 


Big Spenders Are Keeping the Party Going in NYC
https://www.wsj.com/economy/consumers/new-york-city-wealth-e0ef94dc
The city has thousands of millionaires and they keep spending, powering a burgeoning local economy that caters to the well-to-do.