MOScout Sunday6: NIH Funding - RFH and e-commerce Trends - Ag Needs Foreign Labor - Tariff Uncertainty and more…
1. After the COVID spike, e-commerce has reverted to its long-term trend. “E-commerce sales as a percent of all U.S. retail sales increased in the fourth quarter of 2024, to 16.4%, the highest share since a pandemic-era peak. E-commerce sales were 16.1% of retail sales in 2024, up from 15.3% in 2023.”
Source: St. Louis Federal Reserve.
2. “Return from home” should be bullish for urban downtowns.
Source: McKinsey.
3. Concern over tariffs driving business uncertainty.
Source: Daily Shot.
4. NIH Funding, by state.
Source: NYTimes.
5. Agriculture depends on foreign labor.
Source: US Department of Agriculture.
6. Rule of thumb for government intervention through licensing and regulations: when the stakes are low (like mismatched curtains or furniture aesthetics) let the market run rampant.
