**New York, Jul 11 (Reuters) – U.S. consumer companies from Levi Strauss & Co (LEVI.N) to Target Corp (TGT.N) are bracing for a hit to sales as millions of Americans resume making student loan payments after a two-year pandemic pause.**
The restart of payments, which begins Aug. 1, will take about $4 billion a month out of consumers’ pockets, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. That is money that could have been spent on clothing, home goods or other discretionary items.
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