The week in money and markets: Retail M&A, rent inflation

This year’s hottest department store Christmas items are the stores themselves

There are a couple Christmas shopping lists out there with gifts so big they couldn’t fit under the tree at Rockefeller Center. Within a week of one another, the Macy’s and Neiman Marcus department store empires have received buyout offers worth nearly $9 billion combined. The Neiman Marcus proposal came first, with rival Saks Fifth Avenue offering $3 billion last week (Dec. 1). This morning (Dec. 11), markets awoke to Macy’s getting a $5.8 billion take-private bid from a pair of investment firms. News of both offers was first reported by the Wall Street Journal.—Melvin Backman | Read More

Blame your landlord for inflation’s stubborn persistence

Inflation is finally cooling off. Energy prices are down. Food prices are mellowing out. But the cost of having a place to live is still rising much faster than just about every other essential.—Melvin Backman | Read More

How one woman turned $10,000 into a successful business | Your Wallet

Krissy Jones, founder of Sky Ting Yoga, tells Quartz tips and strategies for starting a small business.

Avoid small caps and small banks in 2024? | Smart Investing

Barry Knapp of Ironsides Macroeconomics tells Quartz the portfolio adjustments you should make right now to protect yourself going into 2024.