This is a key point: recessions are good for many reasons, not the least of which is people tend to increase savings and pay-down debt. I expect online sales to be up yoy over 10% and sss yoy up over 5%.
That suggests WMT nailed "expected" sales, nothing "way stronger" about it. Having little inventory on Xmas eve within the fickle xmas nucleus category of toys is a retailers xmas wish! And what the hell is the "MasterCard Advisors unit SpendingPulse?" I don't ever recall hearing from or about that "unit" in Christmas' past (nor at any other time for that matter).