The personal consumption expenditures price index, a key gauge tracked by the Federal Reserve, was up 2.8% in November, according to the Commerce Department. "Today's data should reassure the Fed that the economy remains on a solid footing, despite a cooler labor market," said James McCann, senior economist at the Edward Jones. Other data released on Thursday showed a slight upward revision in GDP for the third quarter of last year.

Reliance Worldwide has opened a training center in Atlanta to provide hands-on experience with its plumbing technologies and brands, including SharkBite, HoldRite and Cash Acme. Distributors, contractors, internal teams and new tradespeople will get product and contractor training in real-world settings, product demonstrations and apprentice programs.

US distributors are dealing with tighter margins and more complex sourcing due to tariffs on imported steel, aluminum, wood products, automotive parts and electronics components, which have driven up costs across supply chains. Distributors like Fastenal and MSC Industrial Supply are adjusting pricing strategies and sourcing, negotiating with suppliers and seeking new sources, but uncertainty is compounded by legal and political uncertainties.

Organizations are now seeing tangible ROI from AI in procurement by applying the technology to specific business outcomes, such as reducing cycle times, improving spend analysis and minimizing supplier disputes, writes Leagh Turner, the CEO of Coupa. Success comes from leveraging existing transaction data to train AI models, which allows for real-time insights and automation that directly impact the bottom line, Turner writes.

Veteran employees' resistance to AI often stems from fear of job displacement and losing the value of their hard-earned expertise rather than an inability to adapt, writes Brian Hopkins, chief operating officer of Distribution Strategy Group. Hopkins emphasizes the irreplaceable value of veterans' contextual knowledge and suggests that leaders should position veterans as essential to AI's success, allowing them to validate AI outputs and show how their expertise enhances AI's capabilities.

CMOs in 2026 are facing a shift in accountability, focusing more on business outcomes than on output volume. This change requires marketing teams to prioritize effectiveness over productivity, aligning efforts with business needs and measurable outcomes. CMOs discuss the importance of metrics such as pipeline value and customer retention, as well as the need for continuous learning and adaptation, especially with AI.

AI is transforming the B2B buying journey, shifting the focus from persuasion to proof, writes Nick Kay, a brand and creative strategist at Luxid. As millennials and Generation Z buyers dominate, relying heavily on external sources and AI for decision-making, B2B marketers must adapt by providing hard facts and validation. This trend, driven by generative engine optimization, requires marketers to balance proof with creativity to maintain engagement, Kay writes.

US consumer sentiment climbed to a five-month high in January, with the University of Michigan's index rising to 56.4. This increase, the largest since June, reflects optimism about the economy and personal finances across various demographics. Despite this, sentiment remains over 20% lower than a year ago due to concerns about high prices and a weakening labor market. Consumers expect prices to rise at an annual rate of 4% over the next year, the lowest since January 2025.

Marvin Ellison's leadership at Lowe's is deeply influenced by his early frontline roles, including jobs unloading trucks and working as a janitor and a store security guard . Rather than isolating himself in the executive suite, Ellison prioritizes spending time with store associates to understand their perspectives. He consistently frames decisions around their impact on frontline employees, saying he believes that true leadership starts with those closest to the customer.

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