New York (AFP) – “Black Friday” has kicked off in the United States with companies offering a new batch of “doorbuster” sales and promotions to early holiday shoppers, but online data show that consumers have been spending big for weeks. The day after the US Thanksgiving celebration is the traditional start to the holiday shopping season, and normally sees Americans line up outside stores before they open to clinch deals on popular items. After the pandemic subdued last year’s spending, anticipation is high this year since millions of people have returned to jobs lost to business restrictions …

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