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Message: [QUOTE="Munyaradzi Mafaro, post: 74791, member: 636"] Black Friday flopped hard in the UK as people stayed home from stores over economic anxiety, and footfall tanked 2 percent compared to last year's already weak numbers. Online sales were mixed, with one day crashing but earlier in the week doing better. Experts are saying consumers are still getting crushed by cost-of-living pressures, and unemployment is creeping toward 5.2 percent. Business confidence is in the gutter after the budget dropped. A CBI survey showed the worst optimism drop in three years, and an Institute of Directors index is sitting near all-time lows at negative 72. KPMG predicts GDP will limp along at just 1 percent growth next year because household spending is dead. Pubs are about to get demolished by business-rate hikes starting in April despite promises of relief. Some venues could see massive increases, and industry people are calling it a potential extinction event for the pub sector. [/QUOTE]