By ANNE D’INNOCENZIO, Associated Press Business Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Black Friday bargains no longer tempt people to leave Thanksgiving tables for midnight mall runs. Brawls in store aisles over toys and TVs with limited-time discounts are spectacles of holidays past. Online shopping and retailers launching discounts weeks before the turkey feast subdued that kind of fervor.

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But the sales event still has enough enthusiasts to make the day after Thanksgiving the one when U.S. stores get the most shoppers coming in the door. For that reason, Black Friday still rules as the unofficial start of the holiday shopping season.

This year’s kickoff comes as consumer confidence in the U.S. economy fell this month in the aftermath of the federal government shutdown, weak hiring and stubborn inflation, according to a report The Conference Board issued Tuesday.

Many retail executives have reported customers becoming more discerning and increasingly focused on deals while at the same time remaining willing to splash out for important occasions like the start of the school year and the winter holidays, creating a halo effect.

“Consumers have been saying the economy is terrible while continuing to spend for years now, so the outlook is probably better than they are telling us,” Bill Adams, the chief economist at Comerica Bank, said this week of shoppers’ moods heading into Black Friday. “But business surveys also report consumers are being more sensitive to prices and selective in spending.”

While planning for the holidays in the spring and summer, retail companies were wrestling with the volatility of President Donald Trump ’s wide-ranging tariffs on imported goods. Many accelerated shipments of some merchandise before the tariffs took effect or decided to absorb some of the import tax costs instead of raising prices for customers.

Market research firm Circana said that 40% of all general merchandise sold in September saw a price increase of at least 5% compared with the first four months of the year.

People pass a display as they walks among early Black Friday sale items at Best Buy Thursday, Nov. 20, 2025, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Toys, baby products, housewares, and team sports equipment were among the hardest hit categories. For example, 83% of toys sold in September saw an increase of at least 5%, Circana said. Industry group The Toy Association says nearly 80% of the toys sold in the U.S. are made in China, a country the Trump administration hit with especially high tariffs at various points this year.

Still, analysts and mall executives cited solid momentum heading into Black Friday week. At the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota, foot traffic in recent weeks surpassed the numbers from pre-pandemic 2019, said Jill Renslow, the mall’s chief business development and marketing officer.

“We’re seeing a very positive start to the holiday season,” Renslow said. “The last few Saturdays in November have been very strong.”

The growth in online sales also has been robust so far. From Nov. 1 to Nov. 23, consumers spent $79.7 billion, according to web tracking and analysis platform Adobe Analytics. That represented a gain of 7.5% from a year earlier and was bigger than Adobe’s 5.3% growth forecast for the season.

Mastercard SpendingPulse, which tracks spending across all payment methods, predicted a 3.6% increase in holiday sales from Nov. 1 through Dec. 24. That compares with a 4.1% increase last year.

“Clearly, there’s uncertainty,” Mastercard Chief Economist Michelle Meyer said. “Clearly, consumers feel on edge. But at the moment, it doesn’t seem like it’s changing how they are showing up for this season.”

According to Adobe Analytics, Thanksgiving Day was the best time to shop online to get the deepest discount on sporting goods. But Black Friday will be the best time to buy TVs, toys and appliances online.

Cyber Monday, however, should be the best time to buy apparel and computers. Apparel discounts peaked at 12.2% off the suggested manufacturer’s price between Nov. 1 and Nov. 23 but are expected to hit 25% off on Cyber Monday, Adobe said.

By JOSH BOAK, Associated Press

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President Donald Trump says he wants to “permanently pause migration” from poorer nations and is promising to seek to expel millions of immigrants from the United States by revoking their legal status. He is blaming immigrants for problems from crime to housing shortages as part of “social dysfunction” in America and demanding “REVERSE MIGRATION.”

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His most severe social media post against immigration since returning to the Oval Office in January came after the shooting Wednesday of two National Guard members who were patrolling the streets of the nation’s capital under his orders. One died and the other is in critical condition.

A 29-year-old Afghan national who worked with the CIA during the Afghanistan War is facing charges. The suspect came to the U.S. as part of a program to resettle those who had helped American troops after U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Trump’s threat to stop immigration would be a serious blow to a nation that has long defined itself as welcoming immigrants.

Since the shooting not far from the White House, administration immigration authorities have pledged to reexamine millions of legal immigrants, building on a 10-month campaign to reduce the immigrant population. In a lengthy social media post late Thursday, the Republican president asserted that millions of people born outside the U.S. and now living in the country bore a large share of the blame for America’s societal ills.

“Only REVERSE MIGRATION can fully cure this situation,” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform. “Other than that, HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL, except those that hate, steal, murder, and destroy everything that America stands for — You won’t be here for long!”

Trump was elected on a promise to crack down on illegal migration, and raids and deportations undertaken by his administration have disrupted communities across the country. Construction sites and schools have been frequent targets. The prospect of more deportations could be economically dangerous as America’s foreign-born workers account for nearly 31 million jobs, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The president said on Truth Social that “most” foreign-born U.S. residents “are on welfare, from failed nations, or from prisons, mental institutions, gangs, or drug cartels” as he blamed them for crime across the country that is predominantly committed by U.S. citizens.

The perception that immigration breeds crime “continues to falter under the weight of the evidence,” according to a review of academic literature last year in the Annual Review of Criminology.

“With few exceptions, studies conducted at both the aggregate and individual levels demonstrate that high concentrations of immigrants are not associated with increased levels of crime and delinquency across neighborhoods and cities in the United States,” it said.

A study by economists initially released in 2023 found immigrants are 60% less likely to be incarcerated than people born in the U.S. Immigrants have been imprisoned at lower rates for 150 years, the study found, adding to past research undermining Trump’s claims.

Trump seemed to have little interest in a policy debate in his post, which the White House, on its own rapid response social media account, called “one of the most important messages ever released by President Trump.”

He pledged to “terminate” millions of admissions to the country made during the term of his predecessor, Democrat Joe Biden. He also wants to end federal benefits and subsidies for those who are not U.S. citizens, denaturalize people “who undermine domestic tranquility” and deport foreign nationals deemed “non-compatible with Western Civilization.”

Trump claimed immigrants from Somalia were “completely taking over the once great State of Minnesota” as he used a dated slur for intellectually disabled people to demean that state’s governor, Tim Walz, the Democratic vice presidential nominee last year.

On Wednesday night, Trump called for the reinvestigation of all Afghan refugees who had entered under the Biden administration. On Thursday, the director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Joseph Edlow, said the agency would take additional steps to screen people from 19 “high-risk” countries “to the maximum degree possible.”

Edlow did not name the countries. But in June, the administration banned travel to the U.S. by citizens of 12 countries and restricted access from seven others, citing national security concerns.

The shooting of the two National Guard members appeared to trigger Trump’s anger over immigrants, yet he did not specifically refer to the event in his social media post.

The suspect, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, is accused of driving across the country to the District of Columbia and shooting two West Virginia National Guard members, Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24. Beckstrom died on Thursday; Wolfe is in critical condition.

The suspect, currently in custody, was also shot and had wounds that were not believed to be life-threatening.

Trump was asked by a reporter Thursday if he blamed the shootings on all Afghans who came to the U.S.

“No, but we’ve had a lot of problems with Afghans,” the president said.

Jaylen Crocker-Johnson scored 23 points and Cade Tyson added 19 on a night the Gophers shot 51% from the floor and 45% from deep.

It wasn’t enough to win. Stanford survived Minnesota’s hot shooting, winning 72-68 in Thursday’s Acrisure Invitational in Palm Springs, California — thanks to its domination of the possession game.

The Gophers committed 14 turnovers to Stanford’s eight and were out-rebounded 36-25. Both teams made 25 field goals, but the Cardinal did it with the help of 22 more attempts.

Even with all that, Minnesota (4-3) reclaimed a 58-57 lead with seven minutes to play on a pair of Crocker-Johnson free-throws. But the Cardinal (5-1) responded with a 9-2 run over the next three minutes of play to build enough cushion to hold on at the end.

Minnesota trailed by four in the final 20 seconds of the game when Isaac Asuma hit a triple to bring the Gophers back within one. But, leading by three in the final 10 seconds, Stanford wisely fouled Minnesota with four seconds left, before it could get up a potential game-tying 3-point attempt.

Crocker-Johnson made the first attempt and missed the second, but the Gophers were unable to secure the ensuing rebound attempt.

Ebuka Okorie paced Stanford with 25 points. Minnesota closes out the event with an 8:30 p.m. Friday tilt against Santa Clara.

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Holiday sales can put Kristen Conti in a good mood. Whether it’s a bargain on home decor, designer shoes or a new purse, Conti, 60, said shopping makes her feel happy and alive.

“Black Friday is a killer for me; it’s like my Super Bowl,” she said.

A real estate agent in Englewood, Florida, Conti usually takes the day after Thanksgiving off from work to shop online with her mother. “We make a pot of coffee, put the shopping channels on and overdo it,” she admitted.

This year, however, she’s trying not to spend a dime.

That’s because Conti has more than $50,000 in credit card debt, mostly because of her shopping habit. After spending $800 on Labubu dolls and $500 on Christmas decorations, Conti sought the help of a therapist.

She is now working hard to pay off her debt and change her habits. To thwart any temptation to shop on Black Friday, Conti plans to spend the day with her 11-year-old niece. “We’re going to a capybara farm,” she said.

On Black Friday last year, Americans spent $10.8 billion online, according to data from Adobe Analytics. Studies show that the sales incite a sense of urgency — stoking the fear that if you don’t act now, you’ll miss out. With the convenience of one-click purchases, saved payment information and “buy now, pay later” loans, shoppers get the quick dopamine boost before they are able to pause and consider whether the purchases make sense. This can lead to overspending. Many shoppers who went into debt last year are now trying to keep their habit in check.

Christina Mychaskiw, a pharmacist and blogger in Toronto, splurged on a pair of boots that cost more than a month’s rent during a Black Friday sale in 2018. Back then, shopping helped her beat boredom and ease stress.

“It filled my time because I didn’t really have any other hobbies,” Mychaskiw said. Social media made it worse. She’d spend her paychecks on makeup and skin care. “It was almost like a flex that I could buy the same bronzer as my favorite influencer.”

While Mychaskiw didn’t rack up debt, she was living paycheck to paycheck, without any money in savings. After springing for the boots, she decided to change her ways. “I realized that I was going to be broke for the rest of my life if I didn’t do anything about it,” Mychaskiw, 38, said.

Seeking help online, Mychaskiw taught herself how to conduct a financial audit and embarked on an eight-month no-buy challenge, in which participants stop spending on things like clothes, shoes and makeup. She even wrote a workbook to help others downsize their consumption, “The Minimalist-ish Journal.”

To curb overspending during the holidays, Nathan Astle, a certified financial therapist in Kansas City, Missouri, recommends setting up guardrails, such as deleting your credit card information from online stores, apps and mobile payment services like Apple Pay. Doing so makes it more “annoying to spend money,” he said.

Lauren Bowling, a recovered compulsive shopper in Atlanta, places “points of friction” between herself and spending, she said. When she’s at a brick-and-mortar store, for example, instead of using a cart, she carries everything until her arms feel tired. It’s a built-in limit.

“I also have a 24-hour rule,” Bowling, 38, said. If something catches her eye, she must wait at least one day before making the purchase.

To pump the brakes while shopping online, Erika Wasserman, a certified financial therapist in Florida, suggests using music. Choose one song and listen to the entire tune before hitting the “buy” button. This delay “creates space for you to evaluate that purchase,” Wasserman said. The song can be fun and should relate to your financial goals — a Pavlovian musical cue, like your school anthem that reminds you to pay off your student loans. And instead of adding items to your cart, cultivate a wish list. Often, that minor tweak alone can curb an impulse buy.

Pausing in the moment is just one part of the solution; it also helps to plan ahead.

As Black Friday nears, approach spending with intention. Wasserman suggests making a “must-have” list and noting the typical cost of each item. That way, “when you come across the sale price, you’ll actually know if it’s a deal or not.”

It’s also important to identify your triggers. “It’s not good for me to look at new makeup launches or what I can buy on sale at Sephora,” Mychaskiw said.

The same goes for Bowling. “I recently joined TikTok,” and the ads are “rapid fire,” she said. The social media channel offers everything from South Korean skin care to the latest lip oils, which really pulls her in, she said.

Mychaskiw suggested unfollowing or muting influencers on social media who trigger your shopping habit, and swiping away from Black Friday hauls or recommendations.

Beyond avoiding triggers, understanding the compulsion to shop is crucial.

Astle suggests keeping a money journal to spot spending patterns. Record not just how much you spend, but “what you were feeling before, during and after each purchase,” he said. Sometimes, he explained, spending can disguise an emotion that we’re unaware of and need to figure out.

Bowling’s overspending problem started in college but ended soon after she began working. With the help of a therapist, she realized that she had been using shopping to cope with the loneliness and boredom that came with transferring schools and losing touch with old friends. Making this connection with a therapist helped her face her feelings instead of trying to bury them. Within a few years of graduation, Bowling managed to pay off her debt and rein in her spending.

For Conti, spending is a way to deal with stress and sadness. But positive emotions also play a role. She and her mother bond while shopping. After buying the Labubu dolls, Conti said, she and her mother were like “two little girls squealing with delight about how we’re going to use these Labubus for the holidays.”

She also shops to please others. But after each spree, feelings of shame, guilt and disappointment creep in. Even though her husband is aware of her struggles, she’s quick to break down boxes from her shopping sprints. “I don’t want my husband to have to cut up my boxes,” she said. “There’s a lot of self-loathing.”

Shame is often a telltale sign to take a closer look at your financial behavior, Astle said. It’s an emotion that drives secrecy and avoidance. So if you hide purchases from your partner, avoid looking at your credit card bills or bank accounts, or put off thinking about your finances altogether, consulting a financial therapist or financial adviser could be helpful to address the problem.

Group support, either online or in person, can help reduce stigma and provide emotional hand-holding as you work toward your financial goals. Conti is part of a Facebook group for people with shopping addiction. Members share their successes and encourage one another to keep trying, even when they face setbacks.

Debtors Anonymous has a structure similar to Alcoholics Anonymous, providing a 12-step program and a support person known as a “sponsor.” Pairing up with a like-minded friend can also keep you accountable during Black Friday, Cyber Monday or other high-pressure sale periods.

Conti plans to speak with her therapist more often during this shopping season. “It’s stopping me a bit,” she said, because “when we meet, I don’t want to admit that I screwed up.”

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

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