Retail Execs Brace for a Lean Holiday Season

’Tis the season for reading the tea leaves for clues to how the coming make-or-break retail season might turn out. So far, the betting seems to be on a year that finishes down slightly or on a weak upbeat—a ho-hum holiday.

The vibe in retailers’ executive suites these days is anything but ho-hum. The gossip is starting to sound concerned—interest rates are up, credit card balances are rising, and student loan payments are set to restart! It’s an economic minefield. Just how bad will this year be?