Bill Mongelluzzo

The US retail inventories-to-sales ratio in April fell to its lowest in more than three years as the market ponders just how much steam the current frontloading push has left.

US retailers on June 8 upgraded their forecast for June imports, confirming that the peak shipping season has come early this year as importers frontload fall and holiday merchandise ahead of new tariffs and what could be even higher fuel prices. But that cargo spike is expected to be short-lived, with the National Retail Federation (NRF) lowering its prior forecast for imports landing through the rest of the summer and into early fall.