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Retail sales topped expectations in September, rising 0.7% to more than double the consensus forecast - driven by a 1.1% increase in online spending, in particular. The consumer discretionary space will attract plenty of attention this week, with earnings from heavyweights like Home Depot (HD), Target (TGT), Walmart (WMT), and Macy's (M) all slated for release - and with expectations already running low for the holiday shopping season, any pullback in retail stocks could present potential buying opportunities to bet on the strength of the U.S. consumer.
Here's a look at two top e-commerce stocks to consider right now - both of which have earned “buy” ratings from analysts, and with growth forecasts that easily outpace their industry peers.