Bloomberg The back-to-school season has always been important for US retailers, and this year’s is likely to be a doozy. Consumer wallets fat with stimulus checks helped Walmart Inc and Target Corp blow past sales estimates in the first quarter, but those funds will dry up at some point. Stepping into the fold, analysts expect an unprecedented shopping season as ...

Bloomberg Ulta Beauty Inc reported first-quarter comparable sales that beat expectations, showing that makeup usage is making a recovery. Comparable sales, a key metric for retailers, rose 66% for the quarter — above the 39% average analyst estimate compiled by Bloomberg. The beauty retailer raised its outlook for 2021, with net sales now seen in a range of $7.7 billion ...

Bloomberg The leaders of Australia and New Zealand have urged China to give outside observers “unfettered access” to Xinjiang, a move that is likely to draw criticism from Beijing. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and New Zealand’s Jacinda Ardern “expressed grave concerns about the human rights situation” in China’s far western region and said the United Nations and others should ...