If the CEO of Dollar General starts talking like Jerome Powell, it might be time to check your emergency fund. In this episode, Chris and Saied dive headfirst into the weird intersection of retail earnings calls and central bank policy. Spoiler alert: both are saying the same thing — the consumer is tapped out. From February's disappointing 0.2% bump in retail sales to Walmart's CFO basically whispering, "We're screwed", the guys break down why Americans are spending less, stressing more, and maybe reconsidering that $7 oat milk latte.

➡️ We also unpack a haunting chart from Bravos Research that only shows up before market crashes (yay!) and revisit the growing wealth gap with Kathryn Anne Edwards' spicy reminder that 154,000 households now earn more than the bottom 77 million. Oh, and mortgage applications? At 30-year lows. But sure, the economy’s totally fine. With their signature blend of brutal honesty and sarcastic charm, Chris and Saied connect the dots between inflation fatigue, consumer psychology, and why this might just be the moment to stop pretending everything's “resilient.”

💥 Have you left your "honest ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️" review?

👕 THS MERCH: http://www.thspod.com

🔗 Resources:

The Fed makes multiple revisions to their 2025 economic data projections (The Kobeissi Letter via X)

This signal has flashed only 2 times since 1960 (Bravos Research via X)

Retail sales came in weaker than expected (CNN)

Mortgage rejections at the highest level since GFC (Darth Powell via X)

Existing home sales came in at 4.26 million annualized in Feb 2025 (Nick Gerli via X)

Court records show how many federal workers were fired & rehired (CBS News)

The top 0.1% went from earning 8.1% of all taxable income to... (Kathryn Anne Edwards via Instagram)

⚠️ Disclaimer: Please note that the content shared on this show is solely for entertainment purposes and should not be considered legal or investment advice or attributed to any company. The views and opinions expressed are personal and not reflective of any entity. We do not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information provided, and listeners are urged to seek professional advice before making any legal or financial decisions. By listening to The Higher Standard podcast you agree to these terms, and the show, its hosts and employees are not liable for any consequences arising from your use of the content.

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