U.S. housing starts increased by 1.9 percent in October to 1.37 million units, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. September’s figure was revised down to a 3.1 percent rise, from the preliminary estimate of +7 percent. Building permits edged up 1.1 percent to 1.49 million units following a 4.5 percent drop in September. Analysts had expected them to fall to 1.45 million units.

Walmart posted Q3 earnings of $453 million, or $0.17 per share, compared with a $1.79 million (-$0.66) loss a year earlier. On an adjusted basis, earnings totalled $1.53 per share. Revenues of $160.84 billion were up 6.1 percent from $152.81 billion. Analysts had forecast adjusted earnings of $1.52 per share on sales of $159.66 billion. In Canada, net sales rose by 5.3 percent to $5.8 billion.

The annualized pace of housing starts in Canada rose by 1.0 percent to 274,681 units in October, according to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp., from 270,669 units the previous month. The rate of urban starts increased 2.0 percent, with 257,357 units recorded. Total starts were down 43 percent in Montreal and 24 percent in Toronto, while Vancouver recorded an increase of 35 percent, driven by the multi-unit segment. The rate of rural starts was estimated at 17,324 units.

Throwback Thursday is a weekly feature in which we dip into the archives of the Hardlines Weekly Report.

“Retailers need to get more data savvy,” we reported 20 years ago. The annual Hardlines Conference had just ended and we quoted one of the speakers, Randy Harris of Trendex. Harris said retailers had been slow (in 2003) “to move on data collection and management.”

“In the ‘90s there was a lot of money spent on POS equipment,” we reported. “But so far, very few retailers are using data to better manage their businesses,” Harris told delegates.

Grainger has announced the appointment of Cecelia Myers as VP, group product manager. Myers was most recently VP, digital, at CDW. Previously, she held a series of positions at Groupon and co-founded CakeStyle, an online women’s styling business.

Yesterday, Amazon unveiled its newest robot. “Titan” can lift up to 2,500 pounds in Amazon’s fulfilment centres, twice the weight that “Hercules,” the most broadly-deployed robot in Amazon’s DCs, can lift. Titan’s first task will be carrying “larger, bulkier items like small household appliances or pet food and gardening equipment,” the company says. Amazon’s fulfilment centre in San Antonio, Texas, is the first facility to receive the new technology. Amazon has 750,000 mobile robots at its facilities worldwide.

Sales of existing Canadian homes declined by 5.6 percent month-over-month in October, according to the Canadian Real Estate Association. The actual (not seasonally adjusted) number of transactions came in 0.9 percent above October 2022. The number of newly listed homes fell 2.3 percent, the first decline since March.

The Home Depot has issued its third quarter results. The Atlanta-based retailer, the largest home improvement retailer in the world, reported sales of $37.7 billion for the third quarter of fiscal 2023, a decrease of three percent from the third quarter of fiscal 2022. Comparable sales for the third quarter of fiscal 2023 decreased 3.1 percent, and comparable sales in the U.S. decreased 3.5 percent. Net earnings for the third quarter of fiscal 2023 were $3.8 billion, or $3.81 per diluted share, compared with net earnings of $4.3 billion, or $4.24 per diluted share, in the same period of fiscal 2022.

Canadian Tire Corp. has unveiled Canada’s Christmas Lists, a new gift registry platform that allows customers to build, share, and shop personalized Christmas lists. Shoppers can add their most-wanted items to their list and share with friends and family using a personalized URL. The digitally secure registry, powered by MyRegistry.com, will remain available beyond Christmas for birthdays, weddings, and other special occasions.

RONA inc. has laid off 25 workers at its Boucherville, Que., warehouse, Le Journal de Montréal reports. A spokesperson for the company cited “a surplus of personnel” in explaining the move. In total, some 1,550 employees work at the Boucherville operations, including RONA’s head office and the distribution centre.