retail

"Cost of living improvements sees growth in both consumer confidence and retail performance, stimulating a recovery in investment volumes"

"Q1 investment volumes increased 13% from Q4 2023. Private investors and syndicators pursue value-add and opportunistic retail assets, while institutional investors re-enter the market with notable deals. Retail development lags population growth, positioning retail centres for strong performance."

"In the face of subdued sales performance, vacancy continued to contract over Q1 2024, with the prime West End reporting double-digit year-on-year rental growth of 11.7%"

"Localisation and the Evolving Global Luxury Landscape"

"The retail sector has continued improving, especially in areas popular with inbound tourists, and there have been more store openings catering to international visitors. Lukewarm domestic consumption should also improve due to noticeable wage growth. While prime areas are performing very well, some non-prime areas are still struggling, showing some bifurcation in the market. The optimistic market sentiment has led some landlords to eye rental increments, in contrast to tenants who already have had operating margins thinned from rising costs, and this gap in expectations is likely to persist."

"Despite easing inflationary pressure positively impacting the direction of consumer confidence, spend growth remains varied by sector whilst anticipation of a recovery is leading to a hiatus in investment activity"

"While external headwinds persist worldwide, the resurgence in international tourism and the resilience exhibited at the domestic level bode well for longer-term growth."

"Improving consumer fortunes suggests a turning point in occupational performance, so will 2024 be the last chance for a prime bargain in the investment market?"

"December’s Christmas trading results give insight into how different sectors are performing in the current economic climate"