Marketplace All-in-One Expect a bigger tax refund this year
Mar 17, 2026
Samantha Fields, a personal finance reporter, explains why refunds are larger this year. Stephanie Hughes, who covers retail and consumer behavior, discusses how discount stores are faring and why shoppers flock to them. Nancy Marshall-Genzer, an economic and monetary policy reporter, walks through how the Middle East war complicates Fed rate decisions.
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War Raises Stakes For Fed Rate Decisions
- The Fed faces a tradeoff: cutting rates could help jobs but risk higher inflation, and the Middle East war adds energy-price uncertainty.
- EY's Gregory Dacco says it's plausible the Fed won't cut rates at all this year due to that uncertainty.
Retiree Chooses Dollar Stores To Afford Treats
- Damien Edmonds, retired on a fixed income, rides the bus to Dollar Tree to buy juice and save money for sneakers.
- He prefers saving for Jordans and uses discount stores to stretch a fixed retirement income.
Why Discount Stores Are Still Winning
- Dollar stores shed stigma since peak inflation, attracting a broader income mix while still serving low-income shoppers most.
- Higher gas and living costs force low-income consumers to skip nonessentials, boosting discount-store demand for essentials.