Research Topic

New York -- Consumer confidence unexpectedly declined in July to the lowest level this year as Americans over concerns about the economy, Bloomberg reported.

The Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan index of consumer sentiment dropped to 72 this month from June’s 73.2 reading. The metric was projected to rise to 73.5, according to a economists surveyed by Bloomberg News.
 

Carlsbad, Calif. -- Callaway Golf said Wednesday it will cut 150 to 170 jobs, or about 12% of its work force, as demand for golf equipment has weakened.

The eliminated jobs will span all regions and levels, said the retailer.

Callaway has downwardly revised its full-year forecast after announcing in April that it expected a significant improvement in fiscal 2012.

The job cuts are expected to generate about $52 million in annual savings.
 

That’s not exactly the question a couple college professors ask in a new booked called, “The Physics of Business,” but it might as well have been. The authors suggest the forces of scale and efficiency are trumping innovation at U.S. companies of which Walmart is the largest.

Paris -- French retail giant Carrefour reported Thursday that sales in the second quarter dipped 0.3% to $26.5 billion, beating analysts’ expectations and prompting the retailer to issue earnings guidance to match 2012 expectations of $2.5 to $2.6 billion.

No Wonder Walmart’s U.S. sales are on the upswing. Kantar’s Marx media solutions group this week in its mid-year report noted free standing insert pages for Walmart increased nearly 82% to 2.5 billion pages during the first half of the year.

If Hong Kong is part of your global expansion initiatives, be prepared to pay the freight.

The most recent retail rent report from CBRE Group labeled Hong Kong as the world’s most expensive retail destination, bettering New York City (No. 2) and Sydney, Australia (No. 3).

Framingham, Mass. -- When comparing social media investment to other emerging technology areas, retailers more than any other industry are making strong investments, according to a new study by International Data Corp.

Philadelphia -- Destination Maternity said its third-quarter revenue fell 5.3% to $138.8 million. Wall Street had expected $146.4 million. The retailer cut its third-quarter earnings forecast, citing weaker-than-expected sales.

Same-store sales fell 2.4%.