• Bank of America’s study indicates early December could overtake Black Friday as the peak holiday shopping window in 2026.
• Holiday spending was already increasing at a solid pace through September, despite cooler consumer sentiment.
• Only 38% of consumers have shopped or plan to shop earlier, down from 52% in 2025.
• Nearly half, 48%, expect holiday spending to remain unchanged from last year, up from 39% in 2025.
• Meanwhile, 39% plan to spend less on holiday gifts; only 12% expect to spend more.

Disclaimer: This news brief was created by Public Technologies (PUBT) using generative artificial intelligence. While PUBT strives to provide accurate and timely information, this AI-generated content is for informational purposes only and should not be interpreted as financial, investment, or legal advice. Bank of America Corporation published the original content used to generate this news brief on October 29, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained therein.