(Reuters) -Walmart’s U.S. head said shoppers were spending at a healthy rate and were resilient despite economic uncertainty and inflationary prices due to President Donald Trump’s tariffs, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday.
“We see (a) resilient customer that makes really smart choices for what’s right for them and their families at the time they’re shopping,” said John Furner, CEO of Walmart U.S., during a panel discussion on Wednesday at CNBC’s “Invest in America” forum, according to the report.
The world’s largest retailer raised its annual forecasts in August, signaling that U.S. consumers across the spectrum were flocking to its stores despite economic headwinds, even as it reported its first quarterly earnings miss in more than three years.
Walmart CEO Doug McMillon said in a post-earnings call he expected current shopping habits to persist through the third and fourth quarters, adding that the effect of tariffs has been gradual enough for consumer habits to change only modestly.
Shoppers are pressured by persistent inflation and uncertainty due to the Trump administration’s volatile tariff policies that have impacted spending, especially in lower-income households.
Shares of Walmart rose about 1% on Wednesday.
(Reporting by Neil J Kanatt in Bengaluru; Editing by Pooja Desai)
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