Walmart, Goldman Sachs, JD Power ABD'li tüketiciler için kırmızı alarm verdi ve en büyük darbeyi yuvanız aldı

Walmart, Goldman Sachs, JD Power issue red alert over US consumers — and your nest egg takes the biggest hit

Jing Pan

Fri, August 28, 2026 at 1:45 PM GMT+3 10 min read

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Something is changing beneath the surface of the American economy — and three very different companies are now picking up warning signs from consumers.

Take Walmart. More than 150 million U.S. customers visit its stores and websites each week, giving the retail giant a front-row seat to changes in how Americans spend.

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Walmart CEO John Furner has identified one particular source of pressure.

"That's really the stress point, is the price of fuel," Furner said (1), adding, "Hopefully, we see some relief on energy prices."

And one group of Americans has been hit particularly hard.

"We've seen some more signs of stress at the lower income levels," Furner said (2).

Likewise, Walmart CFO John David Rainey has pointed to an even more tangible sign of the squeeze: Customers were filling their gas tanks with fewer than 10 gallons (3) per visit on average.

Goldman Sachs sees the pressure spreading more broadly.

The investment bank expects (4) real consumer-spending growth to slow to between just 1% and 1.5% in the second half of 2026, down from a 2.5% annual growth pace in June. At the low end of that range, it would mark the weakest growth since early 2021.

Goldman pointed to the fading boost from large tax refunds in the spring as well as continued pressure from elevated energy prices. Oil prices have surged since the Iran war began, putting additional strain on household purchasing power.

But perhaps the starkest red alert comes from JD Power.

Its latest Financial Health Report (5), released Aug. 24, found that 66% of U.S. consumers were "financially unhealthy" in July. Even more striking, 77% said they had changed their day-to-day spending because of mounting costs.

Some of those changes go far beyond skipping dinner out.

JD Power found that 27% of consumers had cut back on groceries or skipped meals, 18% had borrowed from friends or family to cover expenses, 14% had sold personal belongings and 9% had missed rent, mortgage or utility payments. Another 9% had skipped a prescription or rationed medication because of cost.

Overall, 29% of consumers had taken actions JD Power described as signs of more serious financial distress. Groceries remained the biggest source of financial stress, cited by 43% of consumers, while housing costs were rapidly closing in on gasoline as the next-biggest concern.

Those pressures didn't appear overnight.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (6), food prices in the U.S. have increased 34% since the beginning of 2020, while housing costs are up around 33% (7). Energy prices, meanwhile, have surged nearly 43% (8) over the same period.

In other words, headline inflation may have cooled from its pandemic-era highs, but the cost-of-living crisis is still hitting consumers where it hurts.

And although the U.S. war with Iran appears to be the immediate concern behind higher energy prices, inflation itself isn't new. It's been steadily eroding Americans' purchasing power for decades.

According to the Inflation Calculator (9) run by the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, $100 in 2026 has the same purchasing power as just $11.61 did in 1970.

The good news? Throughout history, savvy investors have always found ways to shield themselves from inflation's bite — in war and in peace.

Here's a look at three time-tested strategies.

Own something the Fed can't print

When it comes to preserving wealth and fighting inflation, few assets have stood the test of time like gold. Its appeal is simple: Unlike fiat currencies, the precious yellow metal can't be printed at will by central banks. This inherently limited supply can help it store value.

Gold isn't tied to any one country, currency or economy, and in times of economic turmoil or geopolitical uncertainty, investors often flock to it — driving prices higher.

Ray Dalio, founder of the world's largest hedge fund, Bridgewater Associates, has repeatedly highlighted gold's role in a resilient portfolio.

"People don't have, typically, an adequate amount of gold in their portfolio," Dalio told CNBC last year. "When bad times come, gold is a very effective diversifier."

In fact, over the past five years, as inflation continued to chip away at the purchasing power of the dollar, gold has climbed over 150% (10) as of August 2026.

Other prominent voices see further potential. JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon has said that in this environment, gold can "easily" rise to $10,000 an ounce.

One way to invest in gold that can also provide significant tax advantages is to open a gold IRA with the help of Goldco.

Gold IRAs allow investors to hold physical gold or gold-related assets within a retirement account, combining the tax advantages of an IRA with the protective benefits of investing in gold. This makes it a compelling potential option for those wanting to ensure their retirement funds are diversified during rough economic times.

Goldco even offers free shipping and access to a library of retirement resources. Plus, the company will match up to 10% of qualified purchases in free silver.

If you're curious whether this is the right investment to diversify your portfolio, you can download your free gold and silver information guide today.

An income-producing inflation shield

Gold isn't the only asset investors turn to during inflationary times. Real estate has also proven to be a powerful hedge.

When inflation rises, property values often increase as well, reflecting the higher costs of materials, labor and land. At the same time, rental income tends to go up, providing landlords with a revenue stream that adjusts for inflation.

Over the past 10 years, the S&P Cotality Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price NSA Index (11) has jumped by 87%, reflecting strong demand and limited housing supply.

Of course, high home prices can make buying a home more challenging, especially with mortgage rates still elevated. And being a landlord isn't exactly hands-off work — managing tenants, maintenance and repairs can quickly eat into your time (and returns).

But you don't need to buy a property outright — or deal with leaky faucets — to invest in real estate today. Crowdfunding platforms like mogul offer an easier way to get exposure to this income-generating asset class.

As a real estate investment option offering fractional ownership in blue-chip rental properties, it gives investors monthly rental income, real-time appreciation and tax benefits — without the need for a hefty down payment or late-night tenant calls.

Founded by former Goldman Sachs real estate investors, the team handpicks the top 1% of single-family rental homes nationwide for you. In other words, you gain access to institutional-quality offerings for a fraction of the usual cost.

Each property undergoes a rigorous vetting process, requiring a minimum 12% return even in downside scenarios. Across the board, the platform features an average annual IRR of 18.8%. Their cash-on-cash yields, meanwhile, average between 10% and 12% annually. Offerings often sell out in under three hours, with investments typically ranging between $15,000 and $40,000 per property.

Diversifying your real estate portfolio

Another option is to leverage multifamily real estate investing. In a report (12) prepared by JPMorgan, Al Brooks — the firm's vice chair of Commercial Banking — said, "I think multifamily housing is absolutely where you want to be as an investor."

Accredited investors can now tap into this opportunity through platforms such as Lightstone DIRECT, which gives accredited investors access to single-asset multifamily and industrial deals.

Lightstone DIRECT's direct-to-investor model ensures a high degree of alignment between individual investors and a vertically-integrated, institutional owner-operator — a sophisticated and streamlined option for individual investors looking to diversify into private-market real estate.

With Lightstone DIRECT, accredited individuals can access the same multifamily and industrial assets Lightstone pursues with its own capital, with minimum investments starting at $100,000.

Don't let inflation eat your cash

Of course, not every dollar belongs in an investment.

Emergency savings, money earmarked for near-term purchases and funds you need for everyday expenses should generally remain readily accessible.

But accessibility doesn't mean that money has to sit in an account earning next to nothing.

When inflation is elevated, cash loses purchasing power over time. A competitive high-yield savings account can help soften that blow by paying substantially more interest than many traditional savings accounts while keeping your money liquid.

To get started, a high-yield account like a Wealthfront Cash Account can be a great place to grow your uninvested cash, offering both competitive interest rates and easy access to your money when you need it.

A Wealthfront Cash Account currently offers a base APY of 3.30% through program banks, and new clients can get an extra 0.75% boost during their first three months on up to $150,000 for a total variable APY of 4.05%.

That's 10 times the national deposit savings rate, according to the FDIC's July report.

Additionally, Wealthfront is offering new clients who enable direct deposit ($1,000/mo minimum) to their Cash Account and open and fund a new investment account an additional 0.25% APY increase with no expiration date or balance limit, meaning your APY could be as high as 4.30%.

With no minimum balances or account fees, as well as 24/7 withdrawals and free domestic wire transfers, your funds remain accessible at all times. Plus, you get access to up to $8M FDIC Insurance eligibility through program banks.

Earn predictable returns with a CD

For cash you may not need right away, there's another way to earn a predictable return without taking on market risk: a certificate of deposit (CD).

With a CD, you lock in an up-front rate, so your earnings stay fixed for a set term, even if market rates slip.

For those seeking predictable, reliable growth, a platform like CD Valet can help you find higher-yield options that work for you, whether you're saving for something soon or building a cushion for the long haul.

CD Valet tracks over 40,000 verified rates from FDIC-insured banks and NCUA-insured credit unions nationwide. Unlike other websites, they show every publicly available rate, ensuring you have a comprehensive view of the market.

What's more, their CD rates are updated continuously, so you can shop, compare and open CDs with ease.