The news media, both print and broadcasting, seem to think that how retail sales fare over Christmas is as meaningful a part of the festive season as carols and mince pies.
That is why this holiday shopping season, despite any one consumer's cost-benefit analysis of whether it is safer to venture into crowds or risk opening packages mailed to their homes, the consensus opinion seems to be that online retailing will fare only about as well -- or as poorly -- as the retail economy as a whole.
That is especially true for the one major retail category faring well nowadays — discounters, like dollar stores and Big Lots, that are suddenly moving into more prominent locales.
Long-term investments are different altogether, and are usually stuffed away in conservative bank or post-office accounts.Other foreign brokers, who took a different approach to Japan's retail market, fared less badly.
So it would seem to be a logical place to stop, look around and ask how airport retail is faring these days, as business travel begins a slow resumption toward levels of previous years.
Ironically, the rest of the retail sector fared rather well.
Retail stocks were faring no better as last-minute holiday sales disappointed investors.
Property companies were out of favour, partly on worries about how their retail occupants may have fared over Christmas.
He said the passengers should be able to "confidently" choose from a range of fares and find the best one for their journey without having to "understand every nuance of the fares and retail structure".
Commercial rents will fall across all categories in America industrial property will fare the worst, retail sites the least badly according to the National Association of Realtors.
