Have you ever noticed that there tends to be a spike in retail bankruptcies every January? It’s no coincidence. It’s because the preceding period from Black Friday to Christmas is among the most critical times of the entire year for many retailers, the suppliers with which they do business, and the U.S. economy in general.

On this special seasonal episode of Wheel of Risk, host Alix McCabe is again joined by regular contributor Dan North, Allianz Trade’s Senior Economist for North America, for a timely deep dive into the importance of the holiday shopping season. Together, they examine the specific risk factors facing seasonal retailers, and discuss which economic conditions, like inflation, food costs, and gas prices, may affect or help predict how much money shoppers are going to spend. Dan will also share his forecast for the 2023 holiday shopping season in particular to help anyone with ties to the retail sector know what to expect.