The Top Retail Industry Headlines Of 2018

On today’s episode of the Zacks Friday Finish Line, Associate Stock Strategist Ryan McQueeney and Editor Maddy Johnson discuss the week’s wild movements in the stock market and look back upon the retail industry’s top stories of 2018.

Make sure to subscribe and leave the show a rating on Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) Podcasts!

It was a wild, record-breaking holiday week for U.S. investors, with major indexes notching one of their worst-ever Christmas Eve sessions only to rebound with a remarkably strong rally on Wednesday. The Dow notched its largest one-day gain in terms of points on the day after Christmas, and investors were hopeful that such a move was an indicator of the bottom.

That said, investors are likely looking to put this brutal December behind them. But the Friday Finish Line team knows that, before one can truly move on, they must reflect on the past, so today’s episode features of retrospective look on 2018 in the retail industry.

The continued growth of e-commerce and the evolution of brick-and-mortar shopping were the top headlines this year, with both of these storylines playing out in interesting ways throughout the sector.

For instance, Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) captured the world’s attention again thanks to its expansion of the Amazon Go concept stores and search for a new headquarters. Brick-and-mortar rival Walmart (NYSE:W) , on the other hand, made news by taking a controlling stake in Indian e-commerce giant Flipkart, a move that felt like a direct shot at Amazon.

The domestic e-commerce industry was also rocked by a Supreme Court decision that could force online sellers such as Wayfair (NYSE:W) and Overstock (NASDAQ:OSTK) to start collecting sales taxes on digital purchases.

Meanwhile, department stores like Macy’s (NYSE:M) continued to adopt new technologies in an effort to modernize the shopping experience, while those that couldn’t keep up—including retail pioneer Sears (BE:SHLD) —reached the brink of collapse.

Want to hear about the top retail stories of 2018? Make sure to check out today’s episode of the Friday Finish Line!

If you feel that we missed something, or if you want us to cover a different story, shoot us an email at podcast@zacks.com. Make sure to check out all of our other audio content at zacks.com/podcasts, and remember to subscribe and leave us a rating on Apple Podcasts.

Will You Make a Fortune on the Shift to Electric Cars?

Here's another stock idea to consider. Much like petroleum 150 years ago, lithium power may soon shake the world, creating millionaires and reshaping geo-politics. Soon electric vehicles (EVs) may be cheaper than gas guzzlers. Some are already reaching 265 miles on a single charge.

With battery prices plummeting and charging stations set to multiply, one company stands out as the #1 stock to buy according to Zacks research.

It's not the one you think.

See This Ticker Free >>