service sector

Bloomberg Daybreak Weekend with Tom Busby takes a look at some of the stories we'll be tracking in the coming week.

1) In the US - US retail sales unexpectedly picked up in November as lower gasoline prices allowed consumers to spend more to kick off the holiday shopping season.

2) In the UK -  It's crunch time for last-minute shoppers ahead of the holidays in London - with retailers hoping for a last-minute surge in spending, despite the general economic gloom.

3) In Asia - Bank of Japan officials see little need to rush into scrapping the world’s last negative interest rate this month as they have yet to see enough evidence of wage growth that would support sustainable inflation

4) In Washington - Anticipation of a new wave of investors has Bitcoin booming once again. Key to the newfound optimism are indications that the US will soon approve exchange-traded funds that invest directly in the cryptocurrency.

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Major layoffs keep making headlines, yet the U.S. is still seeing record low unemployment. WSJ’s Ray A. Smith dives into the mystery in the job market. Further Reading: - Mass Layoffs or Hiring Boom? What’s Actually Happening in the Jobs Market  Further Listening: - The New Layoff: On a Wednesday On Zoom   - What Will the Economy Look Like in 2023?  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices