Retail
Next raised its full-year pre-tax profit forecast by £25 million to £1.24 billion after second-quarter full-price sales rose 9.2%, £70 million above expectations. International online sales increased 36.9%, while total group sales are forecast to reach £7.5 billion (Retail Gazette, 5 August 2026).
Matalan chief executive Henrik Nordvall left by mutual agreement after six months, with Karl-Heinz Holland appointed permanent executive chair. The retailer’s annual pre-tax loss narrowed to £54.7 million and adjusted EBITDA rose 24% to £69.4 million, while first-quarter EBITDA increased 45% to £14.9 million (Retail Gazette, 4 August 2026).
Hugo Boss reported a 9% fall in currency-adjusted second-quarter sales to €905 million and a 28% decline in EBIT to €59 million, although profit exceeded forecasts. It maintained its 2026 guidance for operating profit of €300–€350 million, while its boards recommended rejecting Frasers Group’s €38-per-share takeover offer (Retail Gazette, 4 August 2026).
Zalando expects 2026 GMV and revenue growth to fall within the lower half of its previous 12–17% range, sending its shares down 9%. Second-quarter GMV nevertheless rose 20.7% to €4.9 billion and adjusted EBIT increased 10% to €205 million, with full-year adjusted operating profit forecast at €680–€720 million (Retail Gazette, 4 August 2026).
Boots’ proposed £7 billion sale to the Weston family reportedly stalled after the prospective buyer reduced its offer and owner Sycamore Partners rejected the revised bid. The owners could instead pursue a turnaround and London listing within two years under incoming chief executive Alex Baldock (Retail Gazette, 3 August 2026).
B&M is completing a point-of-sale overhaul across more than 790 UK stores in partnership with PMC and Flooid. The programme replaces legacy tills with standardised hardware and software intended to improve reliability, transaction speeds and operational efficiency (Retail Gazette, 3 August 2026).
New Look appointed Lynda Petherick as chief executive, succeeding Helen Connolly, who will remain until 21 September to support the transition. The appointment follows New Look’s strongest financial performance in a decade, with FY26 EBITDA doubling to £36.6 million and first-quarter EBITDA increasing to £17.4 million (The Retail Bulletin, 3 August 2026).
Betfred will close 132 betting shops and cut 600 jobs from September, citing higher employer National Insurance contributions, wage inflation, increased gambling taxes and wider economic uncertainty (Metro, 3 August 2026).
EG On The Move completed its acquisition of 260 French sites from EG Group, expanding its European network and providing a platform for further investment in retail and mobility services across France (Insider Media, 3 August 2026).
JD Sports Fashion has appointed former IKEA president and CEO Peter Agnefjäll as chair of the board, effective 1 September 2026. He succeeds interim chair Darren Shapland, who will remain on the board as an independent director, bringing extensive international retail and board-level experience to support the group's growth strategy (Retail Gazette, 7 August 2026).
Logistics
CMA CGM and Stonepeak completed the formation of United Ports LLC, combining nine port terminals across the US, Brazil, Spain, Taiwan and Vietnam. Stonepeak invested $2.4 billion for a 25% stake, while CMA CGM retained 75% ownership and operational control; Stonepeak could invest a further $3.6 billion in terminal expansion and new port assets (Multimodal, 1 August 2026).
Urban Outfitters partnered with InPost to offer collection from more than 15,000 lockers across the UK. The 24-hour service provides online customers with an alternative to home delivery (Retail Gazette, 3 August 2026).
Karl Lagerfeld has expanded its partnership with Bleckmann by launching a second European fulfilment operation in Zaragoza, Spain. The facility, which went live in April, serves the brand’s European outlet stores and complements its existing hub in Almelo, the Netherlands (Parcel and Postal Technology International, 4 August 2026).
DHL Group reported stronger-than-expected second-quarter results and reaffirmed its full-year guidance. Revenue increased 13% year on year to €22.4 billion, supported by higher DHL Express volumes, constrained air freight capacity and fuel cost pass-throughs, while the group said geopolitical disruption and shifting global trade flows continue to support demand for logistics services (Reuters, 5 August 2026).
DSV reported a strong first half of 2026 as integration of DB Schenker continued to progress. Second-quarter EBIT before special items reached DKK6.26 billion, driven by the Air & Sea and Contract Logistics divisions, with integration underway in more than 60 countries and annual synergies of DKK9 billion still targeted (DSV, 22 July 2026).
DB Cargo and Stellantis expanded their European finished-vehicle rail partnership. DB Cargo expects to transport more than 80,000 Stellantis vehicles during 2026, up from over 50,000 in 2025, across routes linking Poland, Belgium, Slovakia, Germany, Spain and France to increase rail's share of vehicle movements (DB Cargo, 29 July 2026).
Office
Mastercard has taken an undisclosed number of desks across a full floor at Puzl Coworking’s Sofia centre, citing cost predictability and flexibility as key drivers. Cushman & Wakefield advised on the transaction (Coworking Europe, 3 August 2026).
Latham & Watkins relocated its London office from 99 Bishopsgate to approximately 300,000 sq ft across 20 floors at One Leadenhall, expanding its footprint by around 50%. The firm’s first London move since 1990 represents one of the largest recent legal-sector lettings and provides modern workspace within a BREEAM Excellent, WELL Gold and EPC A-rated building powered by renewable energy (Property Week, 5 August 2026).
Zentra Group has relocated its Manchester office to a 1,466 sq ft suite at Northspring I Spring Gardens, providing a modern workspace with enhanced amenities to support the residential regeneration firm's continued growth (BE News, 6 August 2026).
Other
HSBC agreed to sell its Egyptian retail banking business, including its loans, deposits, accounts and supporting employees, to Emirates NBD Egypt. Completion is expected in the second half of 2027, subject to regulatory approval, generating an estimated pre-tax gain of $0.3 billion. HSBC will retain its corporate and institutional banking operations in Egypt (FX News Group, 3 August 2026).
Blue Owl Capital has closed its inaugural European net lease fund with more than €1.6 billion of commitments, exceeding its €1 billion target and €1.5 billion hard cap. The fund will invest in mission-critical, single-tenant assets across the UK and continental Europe, including industrial, logistics, data centre, retail, healthcare and life sciences properties (Institutional Real Estate, 5 August 2026).
BP agreed to acquire Woodside Energy’s 70% stake in Trinidad and Tobago’s early-stage Calypso offshore gas project, increasing its ownership to 100% and assuming operatorship. The transaction is expected to complete by the end of 2026, subject to regulatory and government approval, and will conclude Woodside’s presence in the country (Alliance News, 6 August 2026).
EasyJet accepted Apollo’s £5.7 billion takeover offer, valuing the airline at 715p per share, after rival bidder Castlelake withdrew. The deal is supported by founder Stelios Haji-Ioannou and his family, who hold 15.3% of the company, but remains subject to regulatory approval (Alliance News, 6 August 2026).
