'Shocking development': New York Times reporter reveals what is driving huge sales numbers

Consumers set a massive record in holiday sales as people finally began to feel the pressure of inflation ease, New York Times business and policy reporter Lauren Hirsch told MSNBC's Jessica Layton on Thursday.

This follows a number of other reports from retailers showing healthy sales — and not just the traditionally solid online stores, they noted, but, in a more surprising twist, brick and mortar department store chains that have been bleeding market share for years.

"Despite a shorter holiday shopping season this year...