Gordon Brothers has published an article examining the effects election years can have on consumer spending and different retail sectors in the U.S.

Authors Rick Edwards, President of Retail, and Liz Sarhaddi-Blue, Managing Director of Retail, provide an analysis of the current state of retail, sector shifts in advance of the 2020 election and how proposed policies, like a second stimulus package, may affect the ever-evolving retail industry.

“Despite the increased volatility recent U.S. presidential elections have introduced to the market, retail sales are up in advance of the November 3 election even amid increasing COVID-19 cases nationwide” said the article’s co-author, Edwards. “Additionally, retail trends we’ve seen in past election years are changing because of the pandemic’s crisis-driven shifts and the effects of an early start to holiday shopping,”

“Like all general elections, the upcoming U.S. presidential election may temporarily shift certain retail market sectors,” said the article’s co-author, Sarhaddi-Blue. “This year, sales of guns and ammunition are not only shifting because of anticipated policy changes but as a result of American civil and social unrest as well.”

The full article titled U.S. Retail Sales Up in Advance of November 3 Election is available here.