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Cadence provide a unique combination of contoured support with enhanced shock absorbing comfort under the heel and forefoot. Cadence are "Support Made Comfortable". With 9 models to choose from, Cadence are for work, play and everything in between. Contact us for complimentary samples. See cadenceinsoles.com for more information. ® S u p p o r t M a d e C o m f o r t a b l e credit crunch, and deterioration in the labor market. e investment house says there is less than a 20 percent chance of the U.S. falling into a recession over the next 12 months and is forecasting 2 percent consumption growth on an increase in nominal wages, lower inflation, and a solid jobs market that encourages spending. e Federal Reserve currently projects year-end unemployment at 4.1 percent. 3. Industry, Business Impacts if there is Another Trump Presidency ree financial changes likely to occur if the U.S. saw a return of Donald J. Trump to the Oval Office would be a continuation of the tax cuts he signed into law during his first term that are slated to expire in 2025, a possible 10 percent tariff on all imports that would likely disrupt supply chains, and the likely implementation of more trade barriers on Chinese imports. Small business owners, wealthy households and the real estate industry would benefit most from keeping the 2017 tax rate cuts in place, reports suggest. 4. The Retail Landscape e National Retail Federation, which says most pundits currently describe the U.S. consumer landscape as "uncertain," has offered up numerous retail predictions for the next 12 months. Foremost is recent research that shows positive impact on retail results by embracing artificial intelligence and machine learning. An IHL Group study, for example, suggests that retailers who have already adopted some form of AI into their respective business plan experienced 2.3x growth in revenues and 2.5x growth in profitability in 2023. e benefits of AI are all over the map, ranging from the optimization of product sourcing, demand planning and inventory forecasting to analyzing data collected by store cameras to make changes to a store's size and layout. For sure, technology and convenience are being demanded and is already taken hold at retail. DoorDash recently added Camping World, Golf Galaxy, JD Sports, and Finish Line as clients, making on-demand delivery for their respective customers a reality. And customer interaction in physical stores today is as important as the transaction, points out the trade organization. Shopper expectations "are elevated and moving toward lo," so retailers planning to open new door or renovate existing locations should take heed. 5. Athletic Footwear Prognostication e longtime industry analyst Matt Powell, now with Spurwink River, expects 2024 will be "a challenging year" for athletic footwear. "e big brands have had to promote to clear overstocks, and they will find it very had to get back to full-price selling. And the lack of newness from the big brands will also be a headwind," he says. Powell is bullish on seven footwear brands this year to outperform the segment. ey are Asics, Birkenstock, Brooks, HeyDude, Hoka, New Balance, and On. n sportstylemag.com • sportstyle January/February 2024 • 5

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