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retail sector
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- 1
Discussion is focusing on how US consumer spending is splitting into two tracks: higher-income households continue to spend freely, while lower-income households pull back under pressure from prices and borrowing costs. Analysts describe this divergence as a 'K-shaped economy', and retailers are watching the gap closely as it reshapes demand across sectors.
- 2Amazon Shifts From Buying Robots to Building Its OwnβIndustry Insights: Amazon Used to Buy Robots. Now It Builds Them.
Amazon, once the robotics industry's biggest customer, is increasingly designing and manufacturing its own warehouse robots in-house rather than purchasing them from outside vendors. The shift, highlighted in industry commentary from the Association for Advancing Automation, marks a turning point for the robotics sector, which has long relied on the retailer's enormous purchasing power. Observers are weighing what the move means for traditional robot suppliers competing with their former top client.
- 3
UK retail sales fell further in September, with orders dropping to a record low, according to the latest retail sector figures. The deepening slump points to continued pressure on British consumers and retailers, with weak demand raising fresh concerns about the outlook for the high street heading into the crucial final quarter of the year.
- 4Iberdrola To Buy Contigo Energia's Spanish Retail BusinessβIberdrola To Buy Contigo Energia's Electricity Retail Business In Spain
Spanish energy giant Iberdrola has agreed to acquire the electricity retail business of Contigo Energia in Spain. The deal would expand Iberdrola's customer base in the Spanish retail power market, where competition among suppliers remains intense. Financial terms and the exact timeline for completing the transaction were not disclosed in the initial report, and further details are expected as the purchase moves forward.
- 543-year-old retail giant begins liquidation saleβΌ43-year-old retail giant closing down, starts liquidation sale
A retail chain that has been in business for 43 years is shutting down and has launched liquidation sales at its stores. The company is selling off inventory as it winds down operations, and the closure marks the end of a decades-long run in the retail sector. Shoppers may find steep discounts in the coming weeks as the sell-off gets underway.
- 6Entrepreneur turns $200 jewellery startup into TV businessβΌMeet Seyi Banigbe, the entrepreneur who grew a $200 jewellery startup and now reaches 60 million TV viewers
Seyi Banigbe started a jewellery business with just $200 and built it into a venture that now reaches an estimated 60 million television viewers. The entrepreneur's story highlights how small-scale African startups can scale into mainstream media exposure, drawing attention to her journey and the growing visibility of women-led businesses across the continent's creative and retail sectors.
- 7Retail Traders Pile Into Costco, Dollar General and WalmartβStocktwits Retail Therapy: Defensive Bets Take Off As COST, DG, WMT Lead Weekly Consumer Staples Gains
Retail investors shifted toward defensive consumer staples this week, with Costco, Dollar General and Walmart leading gains in the sector, according to Stocktwits' weekly retail sentiment roundup. Traders appear to be rotating into safer names, a move often read as a sign of caution about broader market conditions.
- 8
Retail sales have rebounded following a weak opening period, according to a report in retail trade coverage. The recovery suggests consumer spending picked up pace after a sluggish start, offering some reassurance to retailers and analysts watching demand trends. No further detail is available on which markets or sectors drove the turnaround.
- 9
Slovenia's retail sales have reached their highest level in five months, according to newly released data. The uptick points to firmer consumer spending in the country, though no further details on which sectors drove the gain have been reported. Analysts will be watching whether the improvement continues in coming months.
- 10HTDF launches retail push targeting Golden Week travellersβHTDF drives major retail push to capture Golden Week demand with new brands and concepts
Hainan Tourism Development Duty Free is rolling out a major retail campaign built around new brands and shopping concepts, timed to capture demand during China's Golden Week holiday. The initiative aims to draw a surge of domestic travellers, a key spending period for the duty free retail sector, with fresh offerings designed to boost sales and foot traffic.
- 11UBS says AI shopping agents could reshape retailβΌHow AI shopping agents could reshape hardline, broadline and food retail - UBS
UBS analysts say AI shopping agents, which search and buy products on a customer's behalf, could significantly change hardline, broadline and food retail. The report suggests such agents may shift how consumers discover and purchase goods, with potential consequences for retailers' pricing, branding and online traffic. The analysis is circulating among market watchers tracking how automation affects the retail sector.
- 12South Korea Retail Vacancy Rate Hits Five-Year High of 13.36%βSouth Korea's Retail Vacancy Rate Hits 13.36%, Highest in Five YearsβOnly Ulsan Improves
South Korea's retail vacancy rate has climbed to 13.36%, the highest level in five years, signaling deepening weakness in the country's commercial real estate and brick-and-mortar retail sector. Among major cities and regions, only Ulsan recorded an improvement in vacancy, underscoring how widespread the empty storefront problem has become elsewhere.
- 13SS Retail shares jump 7% as broader market fallsβΌSS Retail share price jumps 7% amid stock market fall | Do you own?
SS Retail's share price rose 7% in trading despite a decline in the wider stock market, making it a notable outlier among retail-sector stocks. Investors are asking whether the stock belongs in their portfolios after the counter-trend move. Broader market weakness has drawn attention to individual shares still managing gains.
- 14RTX and Lockheed Martin Head For Weekly Gains After Solid Q2βRTX, LMT Stocks Head For Weekly Gains After Solid Q2 Performance β Retail Calls Defense 'A Bipartisan Issue'
RTX and Lockheed Martin stocks are heading for weekly gains following strong second-quarter results, with both defense contractors topping earnings expectations. Retail investors are also noting the sector's resilience, arguing that defense spending is 'a bipartisan issue' in Washington and largely insulated from political shifts. The upbeat earnings and steady government demand have lifted sentiment around the two companies this week.
- 15Grant Cardone Warns of Historic Commercial Real Estate CrashβΌGrant Cardone Says Commercial Real Estate Faces Historic Crash - Sees Bitcoin As A 'Complementary Asset
Investor Grant Cardone says commercial real estate is heading for a historic crash, citing stress in the sector. He argues Bitcoin should serve as a complementary asset alongside real estate holdings rather than a replacement. His comments are drawing attention among investors weighing exposure to office and retail property against crypto.
- 16Lowe's and Boots lead last week's retail technology playsβΌLowe's takes flight and Boots reaches new audiences: last weekβs biggest retail technology plays
Retail technology publication highlighted Lowe's and Boots as standouts from the past week's retail technology announcements. Lowe's was noted for a drone-related initiative, described as 'taking flight', while Boots was credited with reaching new audiences through its technology efforts. Details of the specific projects remain limited, but the piece frames both retailers as examples of the sector's ongoing push into tech-led innovation.
- 17
CarMax, the largest used-car retailer in the United States, is scheduled to release its quarterly earnings report tomorrow. Investors and analysts are watching for updates on used-vehicle demand, pricing trends, and consumer financing conditions, which will offer a read on the health of the American consumer and the broader retail sector.
- 18Juan Valdez Expands Canadian Retail Presence to Over 400 LocationsβΌJuan Valdez Expands Canadian Retail Presence to More Than 400 Locations
Colombian coffee brand Juan Valdez has grown its retail footprint in Canada to more than 400 locations, according to Colombia One. The expansion marks a significant step for the company's international growth strategy, extending the reach of one of Colombia's most recognizable coffee brands in the North American market.
- 19TFWA President Sarah Branquinho delivers first Cannes address on travel retail's futureβThe future of travel retail: TFWA President Sarah Branquinho delivers first Cannes address
TFWA President Sarah Branquinho has delivered her first address at the Cannes duty-free and travel retail gathering, setting out her vision for the future of the industry. The speech comes as the global travel retail sector, a key revenue driver for airports, airlines and premium brands, continues to navigate changing passenger behaviour and a shifting retail landscape.
- 20
The cruise retail sector is embracing recommerce, the resale and reuse of goods, as a new commercial opportunity. Travel retail publication DFNI reports that operators are exploring second-hand and circular retail models onboard cruise ships, joining a wider industry shift toward resale as consumers seek sustainable and value-driven shopping options.