Retail sales were up 0.6% in August compared with the prior month, with the gain aided by back-to-school shopping, according to the Commerce Department. The August increase marks the third-straight month of gains after a pair of negative readings in April and May. Nine of the 13 categories tracked in the report saw gains, and the core retail sales measure, which excludes volatile sectors, jumped 0.7%.

Prokeep introduced the AI Order Engine for distributors at the National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors Innovators Summit. The platform aims to streamline order management by integrating counter staff, sales and marketing to enhance customer service and centralize data. ABC Supply, a partner in the pilot program, has reported improved response times and increased order accuracy.

Performance Food Group and US Foods have entered an information-sharing agreement to evaluate the feasibility and regulatory implications of a possible merger, reversing PFG's previous rejection of talks. The companies are starting a clean team process with independent experts to analyze confidential data. A combined company would surpass Sysco as the largest foodservice distributor in the US, with about $100 billion in revenue and a market share of approximately 18%.

Walmart is integrating technology and AI to enhance customer and employee experiences. The company has introduced agentic AI through its GenAI-powered shopping assistant, expanded drone delivery to five states and launched the Dinner Tonight platform for meal solutions. For employees, Walmart introduced a suite of AI-driven tools within its associate app, streamlining tasks such as shift planning and task management.

Nearly 200 shipping companies have urged International Maritime Organization members to support regulations, including a global fee on greenhouse gases, when they meet in London in October. The Getting to Zero Coalition and the International Chamber of Shipping back the fee to provide certainty for investment in cleaner technologies, but the Trump administration has opposed it, viewing it as a carbon tax that would raise costs.

AI can make B2B messaging more human by providing better insights through synthetic audience research, enabling meaningful customization of content and fostering deeper engagement with user-generated testimonials, writes John Hickman, head of Plex by TBWA\Chiat\Day. AI also allows brands to explore new media formats with less financial risk, expanding the creative canvas for marketers, Hickman writes.

The Federal Reserve is expected to cut interest rates by a quarter point Wednesday to support a weakening labor market, marking its first policy shift of the year after tariff-driven inflation concerns kept it on hold. Fresh projections due with the decision are expected to signal one or two more cuts this year, though dissent among policymakers looms. "Every cut is more difficult than the previous cut unless the labor market shows signs of continued deterioration," said Aditya Bhave, senior US economist at Bank of America.

To retain Generation Z employees, companies must offer flexible and financially accessible learning opportunities, writes Michelle Westfort, the chief product officer at InStride. "This generation expects their investment in education and skill development to translate into tangible opportunities, with employers who recognize these efforts as integral components of a defined career progression," Westfort notes.

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