Retail
Lidl reported a 10.8% increase in annual turnover to more than £13bn, while operating profit rose 9.9% to £345m. The discounter is investing £600m to open more than 50 stores and expand its distribution network, after gaining 43m additional customer visits and increasing its UK grocery market share to 8.7%, narrowing the gap with Aldi to 1.9 percentage points (Retail Gazette, 05/10/26).
Boots has agreed to be acquired by Canada's billionaire Weston family in a £6.7bn ($8.9bn) deal through Wittington Investments, with completion expected in early 2027. The acquisition covers its UK and Irish retail operations, Boots Opticians and No7 Beauty Company, with plans to upgrade stores and expand healthcare services. Boots currently operates approximately 1,800 UK stores, employs 51,000 people and reported annual sales of £7.5bn, up 3.2% year-on-year (BBC News, 07/10/26).
Shein’s shares have fallen around 38% since its Hong Kong IPO, reducing its market value from approximately $26.5bn at listing to around $16bn. Goldman Sachs bought approximately $220m of shares in September as stabilisation manager, while Shein subsequently reported a 67% fall in quarterly profit to $228m and a decline in its profit margin from 6.2% to 2.1%, amid higher freight costs and changes to US and European import rules (Retail Gazette, 05/10/26).
McDonald’s is facing a proposed US nationwide class action alleging it illegally coordinated menu prices across franchised and company-owned restaurants using an AI-powered pricing system. The lawsuit claims algorithms trained on non-public transaction data were used to facilitate price-fixing, although McDonald’s rejects the allegations and says franchisees independently set their prices, with AI used only for pricing recommendations and analytics. The case follows a broader rise in US antitrust actions examining whether algorithmic pricing tools can facilitate coordination between businesses (Reuters, 05/10/26).
Fast Retailing, owner of Uniqlo, reported a 32% increase in annual profit, with operating profit reaching a record ¥743.1bn (£3.5bn approximately), exceeding forecasts. Strong sales in North America and Europe, which surpassed Greater China for the first time, drove growth, with combined revenue reaching ¥877.6bn compared with ¥724bn in China. The company expects operating profit to rise further to ¥830bn in the next financial year, despite continued challenges in China and rising import costs in Japan (Reuters, 08/10/26).
Tesco reported a 6.5% increase in first-half adjusted operating profit to £1.78bn, while sales rose 2.0% to £33.8bn. Following the stronger-than-expected performance, the retailer raised the lower end of its full-year profit forecast to £3.15bn, from £3.0bn, while maintaining the upper end at £3.3bn. Tesco also increased its share buyback programme by £200m to £950m, reflecting strong cash generation, despite slower UK like-for-like sales growth and a slight loss of market share (Reuters, 08/10/26).
Sainsbury's held exploratory merger talks with Morrisons over a potential multibillion-pound deal that would have significantly reshaped the UK grocery market. Discussions reportedly took place between November 2025 and February 2026 before Sainsbury's withdrew, although future negotiations have not been ruled out. A combination would have created a supermarket group controlling approximately 23.6% of UK grocery sales, approaching Tesco's market-leading position (Reuters, 5 October 2026).
Aldi plans to open 24 new UK stores before Christmas as it continues its rapid expansion programme. The discounter will also relocate three existing stores, bringing its total number of openings and relocations over the next ten weeks to almost 30. New locations include Orpington, Ashford, Basildon, Epsom, Chatham and Dumbarton, with the programme supporting Aldi's longer-term ambition to expand beyond its current 1,092-store estate (Retail Gazette, 2 October 2026).
Frasers Group has acquired an 8.78% stake in Under Armour's Class A shares, extending its portfolio of strategic investments in international sportswear brands. The investment comprises approximately 16.6 million shares and follows Frasers' earlier investment in Puma. Under Armour's latest quarterly revenue declined 3% to $1.1bn, including a 9% fall in North America, while Frasers continues to strengthen its relationships with major international sportswear suppliers (TheIndustry.fashion, 6 October 2026).
Costa Coffee could be put up for sale again as owner Coca-Cola reportedly explores options to dispose of the British coffee chain. The development follows an unsuccessful sale process earlier this year, when offers from private equity bidders reportedly fell below expectations. Coca-Cola acquired Costa for approximately $5.1bn in 2018 but is understood to be reconsidering its ownership of the business as part of a wider strategic review (Reuters, 8 October 2026).
Logistics
DPD has signed a five-year lease for around 82,000 sq ft at Indurent Park Derby, comprising 78,585 sq ft of warehouse space and 4,350 sq ft of offices. The BREEAM Excellent and EPC A+ rated unit marks DPD’s second major Indurent letting in the Midlands within a year, following its 120,000 sq ft Tamworth deal in October 2025, leaving just one unit available at the 800,000 sq ft Derby scheme (Property Week, 06/10/26).
Evri Group has agreed to acquire US logistics enablement provider Cross Border Connect, strengthening its cross-border delivery capabilities between the UK, Europe and the US. Florida-based CBC operates through six US ports of entry and provides customs clearance and parcel-routing technology, with Evri saying the deal could help customers reduce cross-border delivery costs by up to 30% (Parcel and Postal Technology International, 06/10/26).
Maersk is increasing its emergency fuel surcharge on inland transport across the UK and Ireland to 20% from 12 October. The increase reflects rising fuel costs linked to the ongoing Middle East conflict, with attacks on shipping in the Gulf and Strait of Hormuz contributing to oil price volatility. The surcharge will remain under regular review as geopolitical disruption continues to affect European logistics costs (Reuters, 08/10/26).
CEVA Logistics and Zalando have introduced AI-powered robots to automate fashion returns processing at facilities in Germany and Poland. The dual-arm robots, developed by Sereact, are operating at CEVA sites in Greven and Świebodzin, using artificial intelligence to identify, handle and sort returned clothing without requiring individual product programming. The deployment forms part of a wider initiative to expand automated returns handling across European e-commerce logistics operations (Logistics Manager, 08/10/26).
LX Pantos has completed the acquisition of a €140m logistics centre in Katowice, Poland, significantly expanding its Eastern European distribution network. The 109,000 sq m facility comprises five buildings and benefits from road, rail and air connections linking Poland with Germany and neighbouring European markets. The South Korean logistics provider plans to establish the site as a regional hub serving automotive, consumer goods and home appliance customers, while supporting Korean businesses expanding into Europe (Logistics Manager, 07/10/26).
RN3 Partners has entered the Dutch logistics market with the €43m acquisition of a 33,300 sq m logistics facility in Bemmel from DHL. The sale-and-leaseback deal will see DHL Supply Chain continue to occupy the BREEAM Very Good-rated site, marking RN3’s first Dutch acquisition and furthering its expansion into European logistics following its recent entry into France (Bisnow, 06/10/26).
Daimler Truck reported a 26% increase in third-quarter vehicle sales to 91,260 units, driven by stronger demand in North America and Europe. Deliveries rose 51% in North America and 13% at Mercedes-Benz Trucks, supporting the company's improved full-year outlook. However, Daimler Buses sales declined 16%, while battery-electric truck and bus sales fell 28% (Reuters, 08/10/26).
Office
YOKOHAMA HPT has agreed a five-plus-five-year lease for approximately 110,000 sq ft of industrial and logistics space at Dawson Road in Milton Keynes. The facility, let by M7 Real Estate, will support the tyre manufacturer's UK distribution operations and benefits from access to the A5 and M1 motorway network (BE News, 08/10/26).
Spotify has renewed its lease on more than 100,000 sq ft of London office space, abandoning plans for a potential headquarters relocation. The streaming company has recommitted to approximately 104,133 sq ft at The Adelphi Building in Covent Garden following a review of alternative central London locations. Spotify originally leased the space in 2017, with its existing agreement due to expire in 2027 (CoStar News, 7 October 2026).
Willkie Farr & Gallagher is in advanced negotiations to take approximately 80,000 sq ft at 2 Finsbury Avenue in the City of London. The US law firm is under offer to occupy floors 27 to 33 of the Broadgate development, potentially increasing its London office footprint from approximately 30,000 sq ft at Citypoint. The proposed letting would place Willkie alongside Citadel and Citadel Securities, which have already committed to more than 250,000 sq ft at the scheme (CoStar News, 2 October 2026).
The Serious Fraud Office is preparing to relocate approximately 680 employees from Westminster to Canary Wharf by early 2027. The government agency is moving to more cost-effective premises in east London and has agreed to reimburse eligible employees for additional commuting costs over three years. The relocation comes as the organisation maintains a hybrid working policy requiring staff to attend the office two days per week (The Times, 8 October 2026).
eService has signed a 7,500 sqm office lease at Drucianka Campus in Warsaw, becoming the development's first occupier. The cashless payment services provider will occupy space in building B1B of the new development in the Praga-Północ district, which is scheduled for completion in summer 2028. The move will provide eService with a modern workplace designed to support collaboration and its longer-term operational requirements (Eurobuild CEE, 6 October 2026).
Physical Intelligence has agreed to two major office leases across Silicon Valley and San Francisco as it expands its US operations. The AI robotics company is increasing its office footprint to accommodate continued business growth. The expansion includes space in Mountain View, strengthening its presence across the San Francisco Bay Area's technology sector (CoStar News, 8 October 2026).
Morgan Lewis is relocating its New York office to 1251 Avenue of the Americas in one of Manhattan's largest recent office transactions. The international law firm will leave its longstanding New York premises for the prominent Sixth Avenue skyscraper, with the agreement representing the largest single-tenant relocation in the building's history (CoStar News, 6 October 2026).
Sierra has agreed to another expansion and renewal at its San Francisco headquarters, continuing its rapid office footprint growth. The AI company is increasing its occupation at 185 Berry Street in the China Basin district less than a year after quadrupling its headquarters space. The latest agreement reflects continued demand for additional workplace capacity as the business expands (CoStar News, 5 October 2026).
Bozzuto is relocating its corporate headquarters from Greenbelt to Fulton, Maryland. The US property development and management group plans to move from 6406 Ivy Lane to 8160 Maple Lawn Boulevard, establishing a new headquarters within an office complex that has recently attracted additional occupiers (CoStar News, 8 October 2026).
Audio-Technica has acquired an office building in Hollywood to establish a new Los Angeles headquarters and showroom. The audio equipment manufacturer has purchased 5735 Melrose Avenue, securing a permanent base close to the entertainment industry's major production and media businesses. The acquisition provides greater control over its long-term property requirements (CoStar News, 7 October 2026).
Other
Partners Group Private Equity Limited is set to enter an orderly liquidation after shareholders representing 74.1% of its shares opted for a liquidity option, surpassing the threshold that cancelled a planned restructuring. The vote follows a challenging period for Partners Group, which has faced elevated redemption requests and restricted withdrawals from several evergreen funds earlier in 2026. The firm has also introduced restructuring measures across other vehicles to offer investors greater flexibility between long-term exposure and cash distributions (Reuters, 06/10/26).
Mattel shareholder Ariel Investments, which owns 5.4% of the company, has urged the toymaker to explore a sale or other strategic options, arguing that performance has stalled and the shares remain undervalued. The move follows a reported takeover approach from Authentic Brands Group that could value Mattel at around $6bn, while the company is also undergoing a leadership transition after CEO Ynon Kreiz stepped down. Mattel said it would consider Ariel’s views alongside those of other shareholders, although no formal sale process is currently underway (Reuters, 05/10/26).
Royal Mail plans to cut 2,500 head office and support roles by the end of 2027, equivalent to around 2% of its 131,000-strong workforce, as it seeks to improve efficiency amid declining letter volumes and growing competition. Frontline postal workers and drivers are excluded from the restructuring, which is expected to be achieved through voluntary redundancies and natural attrition. The company is also investing £500m over five years in service improvements, while continuing to face pressure over missed delivery targets (BBC, 07/10/26).
National Car Parks (NCP) has been acquired by Martin Property Group following more than six months in administration. The deal includes the NCP brand and the majority of its 145 UK car parks, securing hundreds of jobs. The new owner plans to modernise operations and invest in the business to support long-term growth (Property Week, 08/10/26).
Amazon has cut approximately 1,000 corporate jobs across the US, UK and India, primarily within its ecommerce division, as part of ongoing restructuring efforts. The latest redundancies follow around 30,000 job cuts since last year, with founder Jeff Bezos attributing the reductions to overhiring during the pandemic. Despite the cuts, Amazon continues to invest in its UK logistics network and has increased frontline wages by up to 5.6% (Retail Gazette, 08/10/26).
Amazon has reportedly acquired a 571,423 sq ft multi-storey logistics facility in Chicago from Logistics Property Co. for $195m. Located at 1237 West Division Street, the purpose-built distribution centre was completed in 2024 and features 56 loading docks, a dedicated second-floor truck ramp and extensive vehicle parking facilities. The transaction represents a significant owner-occupier acquisition in Chicago’s urban logistics market (REBusinessOnline, 8 October 2026).
PepsiCo has lowered its 2026 core earnings growth forecast to 1% to 2%, down from its previous expectation of 4% to 6%, amid weak North American demand and rising input costs. The company plans further cost reductions to protect margins and support growth, while forecasting organic revenue growth of approximately 3% for the year (Reuters, 08/10/26).
Samsung Electronics expects record third-quarter operating profit of 107.4 trillion won (£61bn; $80bn), representing a 782.5% increase year-on-year, driven by surging demand for memory chips used in AI data centres. This would mark its fourth consecutive quarter of record earnings, supported by global semiconductor shortages and rising chip prices. Full results are expected later in October. (BBC News, 08/10/26).
