The personal consumption expenditures price index rose 0.1% on a monthly basis in November and 2.4% compared with a year earlier, below the Dow Jones estimate of 2.5%. Core PCE, which excludes the energy and food categories, was up 0.1% monthly and 2.8% annually, slightly lower than forecast in both cases.

Distributors should consider how to incorporate profit competencies in the coming year, including prescriptive selling, price optimization and ecommerce mastery, strategies that can enhance organic growth, reduce profit leakage and adapt to digital-native buyers, writes David Bauders, CEO of SPARXiQ. Additional competencies include dynamic cost-basis optimization and mastery of contracts and special price agreements, pricing overrides, sales training and freight recovery.

US GDP growth for Q3 has been revised to 3.1%, up from the initial estimate of 2.8%, according to data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis. The revision was driven by higher exports and consumer spending, the Commerce Department said. Economists had expected the revision to come in at 2.9%.

Existing home sales in the US increased by 4.8% in November, reaching the highest level since March and marking the most significant year-over-year gain in over three years. The rise in sales is attributed to an increase in housing inventory, which grew by 17.7% compared to a year earlier, providing more options for buyers. Despite this positive trend, overall home-buying activity remains subdued, with 2024 sales projected to be the lowest since 1995 due to high home prices and fluctuating mortgage rates.

Package carriers are moving beyond traditional barcode scanning for parcel tracking by using devices that emit signals to pinpoint the exact location of shipments, using cellular networks, Bluetooth and RFID technology. This approach mirrors how smartphones send signals marking their location and provides a more efficient tracking system.

Cargo thefts have been on the rise, and Christmas offers thieves a prime opportunity to exploit security gaps left by inexperienced seasonal workers, hectic working conditions and tight deadlines. Measures like GPS tracking, door sensors to detect unauthorized access and proactive scheduling can help mitigate leakage over the holiday season.

Personalization will be crucial for B2B marketers in 2025, with buyers expecting tailored interactions, writes Keith Turco of Madison Logic. Almost half of marketing decision-makers intend to increase budgets for personalized experiences, and 60% will invest more in AI, according to a Harris Poll survey.

Job satisfaction among American workers has significantly declined, with only 18% feeling extremely satisfied with their jobs, down from 26% pre-pandemic, according to Gallup report "The Great Detachment." This drop is linked to unclear job expectations, increased responsibilities due to workplace disruptions, and a mismatch between employee expectations and employer offerings.

Join us in Washington, D.C., January 27-29 for NAW's Executive Summit, bringing together the best and brightest leaders from the wholesale distribution industry. Learn more here.

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