Economy Darkens “Black Friday”

BOSTON, Mass. — It’s “Black Friday,” typically the biggest shopping day of the calendar. But this year, it kicks off a retail season that’s anything but cheery.

The slowdown in the economy has made consumers cut back on spending at a time when stores have come to expect their strongest sales boost.

According to the US Commerce Department, retail sales fell by almost three percent in October. That’s the largest decline recorded since the early nineties.

To find out how Massachusetts’ retail business is expected to hold up, WBUR’s Delores Handy turns to Sara Johnson. She’s a chief economist with Global Insight, an economic forecasting company based in Lexington.