Costco

Retail investors shifted toward defensive consumer staples this week, with Costco, Dollar General and Walmart leading gains in the sector, according to Stocktwits' weekly retail sentiment roundup. Traders appear to be rotating into safer names, a move often read as a sign of caution about broader market conditions.

Costco is passing along tariff refunds to its customers, according to a morning business report that also covers the latest inflation update and news about McDonald's Playplace. The refunds suggest companies are returning costs collected before changes to tariff policy. The report groups the stories together in a routine business roundup, with inflation figures and the fast-food chain's family play areas rounding out the morning's economic headlines.