Retail
M&S is set to begin redevelopment work on its Marble Arch flagship in 2027, following approval of its plans in December 2024. The project will replace the existing five-storey building with a 10-storey development comprising retail space, offices and a gym (Retail Gazette, 15 July 2026).
Dunelm’s fourth-quarter sales rose 2.9% to £428m, supported by strong demand for summer ranges despite weaker store footfall during periods of extreme heat. Full-year revenue reached approximately £1.83bn, while the retailer maintained its pre-tax profit guidance towards the lower end of £210m–£217m (Retail Gazette, 16 July 2026).
Asda has rejected concerns that planned changes to security staffing could weaken store safety after more than 300 Mitie security officers were placed at risk of redundancy. Mitie said the overall number of officers deployed across Asda stores would remain unchanged, with affected employees redeployed where possible (Retail Gazette, 15 July 2026).
B&M reported a 2% increase in first-quarter group revenue to £1.43bn for the 13 weeks to 27 June 2026, supported by growth in France and improved trading at Heron Foods. However, like-for-like sales at its core UK business fell by 2.3%, partly due to a slow start to the garden and outdoor season (Retail Gazette, 15 July 2026).
Burberry reported growth in first-quarter retail revenue and raised its wholesale revenue outlook for the first half of FY2027. The improvement supports the luxury retailer’s ongoing turnaround strategy (MT Newswires, 17 July 2026).
Frasers Group has joined the bidding process for loss-making luxury department store Harvey Nichols, potentially competing with Next and other international buyers. Harvey Nichols recorded a pre-tax loss of £35.3m for the year to 30 March 2024, while revenue declined from £216.6m to £204.9m (Retail Gazette, 15 July 2026).
Currys Business has opened 10 additional business hubs across the UK, expanding its network to 70 locations following 20% year-on-year growth. Located within Currys stores, the hubs provide SMEs with specialist technology advice, dedicated account managers and flexible payment options (Retail Gazette, 14 July 2026).
Morrisons is reportedly considering a £600m property-backed financing deal to strengthen its balance sheet and support investment in prices, stores and its wider turnaround. The retailer reported a £381m statutory pre-tax loss and net debt of £3.17bn for the year to 26 October 2025 (Retail Gazette, 14 July 2026).
Dr Martens said trading remains in line with expectations and retained its FY2027 guidance, supported by continued growth in the US, strong wholesale performance and positive trading in Japan and South Korea. European markets are performing as expected despite challenging consumer conditions (Alliance News, 15 July 2026).
H&M plans to close approximately 170 stores and open around 90 locations during 2026, resulting in a net reduction of roughly 80 stores. The retailer’s global estate fell by 128 net locations to 4,036 stores during the year to 31 May 2026 as it continued to optimise its retail footprint (Retail Gazette, 13 July 2026).
Fast Retailing has raised its earnings outlook after strong summer trading at Uniqlo. The retailer upgraded its profit forecast for the third time this year, supported by robust demand for summer apparel and continued international store expansion (Retail Week, 10 July 2026).
Morrisons has appointed Maz Ahmed as managing director of its convenience and wholesale division. Ahmed will oversee expansion of the franchise network and improve performance across company-owned Morrisons Daily stores, following the planned closure of more than 100 locations (Talking Retail, 16 July 2026).
The 7-Eleven owner is reportedly considering acquiring a significant stake in Polish convenience retailer Żabka Group for several billion US dollars. Talks remain ongoing and neither company has formally confirmed the potential transaction (RetailDetail, 17 July 2026).
Logistics
DHL Group has upgraded its full-year outlook after a stronger-than-expected second quarter. The logistics group reported a return to significant revenue growth, with cost-saving measures driving earnings above market expectations. Performance was particularly strong at DHL Express, where higher shipment volumes and constrained air freight capacity boosted profitability (Analytiqa, 13 July 2026).
DHL Global Forwarding has expanded its transpacific air cargo network with a new Bangkok–Cincinnati service. The three-times-weekly route strengthens air freight capacity between Southeast Asia and the US, supporting manufacturers shifting production from China and improving access to key North American distribution hubs (Supply Chain Dive, 15 July 2026).
CEVA and Zalando have extended several European logistics agreements through at least 2030, covering fulfilment, returns and inbound distribution operations across Germany, the Netherlands and Poland. The agreements support Zalando’s continued growth and logistics network optimisation following its integration of About You (CEVA Logistics, 16 July 2026).
CEVA Logistics has opened a 508,000 sq ft distribution centre in Derby to support growing UK e-commerce demand. The BREEAM Excellent facility will become fully operational in August 2026, create around 300 jobs and provide scalable storage and distribution capacity for global customers (Container News, 13 July 2026).
Yusen Logistics has opened a new European regional headquarters in Antwerp, relocating from Schiphol and bringing together approximately 140 employees. The move places the company closer to the Port of Antwerp-Bruges and other NYK Group businesses, supporting greater collaboration and continued European growth (Pf Magazine, 14 July 2026).
Kuehne+Nagel is deploying a cloud-based, AI-enabled warehouse management platform across more than 1,000 sites in nearly 100 countries. Developed with Blue Yonder, the upgraded KN SwiftLOG system is intended to improve automation, visibility and operational responsiveness, with the first customer deployment scheduled to launch in Asia in July (Retail Technology Innovation Hub, 17 July 2026).
FedEx has launched FedEx Life Sciences, a dedicated healthcare logistics business supporting pharmaceuticals, medical devices, biologics and clinical trials. Led by Nick Gennari, the division combines FedEx’s global network, six life sciences centres and advanced shipment monitoring capabilities, building on a healthcare business generating approximately US$10bn in annual revenue (Logistics Business, 13 July 2026).
Office
Oracle Corporation is close to securing a new London office as part of its workplace strategy. The technology company is reportedly under offer on approximately 70,000 sq ft of office space in the City of London, signalling a significant move within the capital's office market (CoStar News, 16 July 2026).
JD.com has acquired the 127,000 sq ft Systems office building in Brook Green, west London, for its new UK headquarters. The Chinese technology and e-commerce group purchased the property from BlueFive Private Wealth, with the transaction value undisclosed (BlueFive Private Wealth, 15 July 2026).
Gartner has committed to Stamford by renewing its headquarters leases through 2034. The research and advisory firm extended leases covering more than 171,000 sq ft across two headquarters buildings, with an option to continue occupying a third building, reinforcing its long-term commitment to the city (CT Insider, 16 July 2026).
Other
Meta has increased its planned investment in the Hyperion data centre campus in Louisiana from $10bn to more than $50bn, expanding the project’s planned computing capacity from 2GW to 5GW. The 4,000-acre development is expected to support more than 7,500 construction jobs and 1,000 permanent roles, with the first 2GW due to be operational by 2030. Including computing equipment, the total project cost could exceed $250bn (Bisnow, 13 July 2026).
