This Week in Retail: March inflation data and Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders

It’s a big week for gamers. Pre-orders for the Nintendo Switch 2 open in North America on Wednesday. Next-gen systems only come along every so often, but when they do it’s a major retail event. The PlayStation 5 has experienced multiple supply chain hiccups since its release in November 2020, including feeling the brunt of a semiconductor shortage in 2023. Now some are wondering what Trump’s tariffs will mean for the Switch sequel’s launch—though reportedly the new trade duties were already factored into its $450 price point.

Here’s what else is going on in retail this week:

In data: The latest consumer price index is coming out on Thursday, providing inflation data for March. The last report showed inflation slowing in February to 0.2% month over month and 2.8% year over year. Tariffs are expected to eventually raise this number, but by how much is an open question. One Federal Reserve model estimates that under an “extreme” scenario, assuming 60% tariffs on Chinese and 10% on all other countries, core inflation could rise between 1.4% and 2.2%. Trump last week imposed a blanket 10% import duty, while setting higher rates on a number of countries.

In conferences: Google Cloud is headed to Las Vegas this week for its Next ’25 expo. The conference brought together 30,000 attendees last year, and is set to draw even more people this year. The event connects IT experts with business partners to problem solve and get hands-on experience. There will also be a focus on AI this year, including a series of keynotes, sessions, hackathons, and workshops aimed at harnessing the new technology.

In space: Amazon plans to launch 27 satellites into orbit on Wednesday as part of its ambitious Project Kuiper plan, which aims to put 3,000 satellites into low-earth orbit and eventually rival Elon Musk’s Starlink System. The satellites will launch from Cape Canaveral in Florida, forming the first links in a network that will eventually provide high-speed internet across the globe.