Another prediction I will make loud and clear is retailers and commercial real estate are the next to fall EXTREMELY HARD. Department stores around the US will feel every blow this christmas season as consumers hold back. Without the consumer, retail sales will continue to fall, as they fall more retailers will cut their workforce and actually start to close, leading the commercial real estate to fall significantly. Sales this christmas will probably be as bad or even worse than they were in 2001. Understand that many many retailers will go into Bankruptcy. With retailers going bankrupt this will of course lead to a huge rise in unemployment. We could see unemployment rates in the double digits by the end of 2009.
