In what will be a busy week for department store earnings, investors will learn the extent to which cooling inflation impacted consumer spending on clothes and other discretionary items. With Wall Street braced for a net loss, Nordstrom delivered a surprise profit as strong inventory management offset weaker store and digital sales. For less affluent shoppers, discounted apparel, accessories and home goods make the nearly 250 Nordstrom Rack stores an affordable alternative — and a unique asset that expands the company’s market size.