Trade tensions cast gloom over US holiday shopping season

WASHINGTON－The holiday shopping season is traditionally considered a time full of joy and cheer for both US retailers and consumers. But as this year's holiday shopping season kicked off on Thanksgiving, the mood is a bit mixed.

Retailers, especially small ones, have been struggling to deal with the additional US tariffs on Chinese imports, while consumers, who crave a bargain, are worried about potential price increases in the future.

Holiday shopping season usually refers to the period between Thanksgiving and Christmas, and some define it as the whole months of November and December. The National Retail Federation said holiday sales represent about 20 percent of annual retail sales each year, but the figure can be as high as 30 percent for some retailers, such as hobby, toy and game stores.