US consumers look resilient despite higher prices for gas, Halloween candy, and more

There's an old adage in investing that goes something like this: Don't bet against the US consumer's propensity to spend. After all the excitement over the Anthropic (ANTH.PVT) IPO prospectus dropping this week, I think the Federal Reserve decision today will bring some focus back to the state of the economy and, by extension, some focus on how the US consumer is faring amid higher prices for gas, Halloween candy, medical expenses, and winter clothing, among other inflationary categories. I would sum up what I am seeing from consumers right now as remarkable resilience. Coca-Cola (KO) has pushed through commodity-based price increases, yet Coke Zero sales increased 16% in the third quarter.