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The NRF Foundation today announced the 25 individuals named to The List of People Shaping Retail’s Future. The honorees include a wide range of dynamic people impacting retail and will be celebrated January 13, 2019, at the NRF Foundation Gala during NRF 2019: Retail’s Big Show in New York City.

Imports at the nation’s major retail container ports have slowed down from their pre-holiday peak but remain at unusually high levels as retailers continue bringing in merchandise before tariffs increase in January, according to the monthly Global Port Tracker report from NRF and Hackett Associates.

Retail industry employment in October remained essentially unchanged from September and U.S. businesses overall added 250,000 jobs, more than double September’s monthly gain.

The NRF Foundation announces 2019 finalists for the Student Challenge scholarship.

Consumers will spend in three main categories during the holidays — gifts, at $637.67; non-gift holiday items such as food, decorations, flowers and greeting cards, at $215.04; and other non-gift purchases that take advantage of the deals and promotions throughout the season, at $154.53.

U.S. retailers will highlight challenges faced in complying with European privacy rules while still serving the needs of their customers as regulators meet for an international conference in Brussels.

The Next Generation Scholarship program provides financial support to college students pursuing careers or majors relevant to retail.

Retail salesin September increased 0.4 percent over August on a seasonally adjusted basis and were up 3 percent year-over-year unadjusted, according to NRF. The numbers exclude automobiles, gasoline stations and restaurants.

58 percent reported shopping at dollar stores, 50 percent at off-price stores like Ross or T.J. Maxx and discount grocers like Aldi or Lidl, 44 percent at outlet stores and 36 percent at thrift stores.

Allowing gasoline with a 15 percent blend of ethanol to be sold year-round would be bad for both consumers and the environment, the National Council of Chain Restaurants said today ahead of an expected announcement by the White House.