Retail

While storm clouds gather over office assets and land development comes off the boil, interest in retail property is building as investors look for somewhere secure to park their cash. Click through to see our list of WA's top 10 locally-based shopping centre owners.

Struggling grocery supplier Metcash is beginning to see signs of improvements thanks to its renewed focus on fresh food and private label brands.

Outdoor clothing and goods retailer Kathmandu has announced it will quit the UK, on the same day it posted a 51.7 per cent slide in full-year net profit to $NZ20.4 million.

Supermarket giant Aldi has strongly rejected suggestions a deal is in place to buy the Spudshed network of stores from its owner, Tony Galati.

This innovative fast-food outlet is testament to how passion can drive business growth.

Woolworths is expected to develop a supermarket on a site in Singleton, south of Golden Bay, where rival Coles was planning to build one of its stores.

7-Eleven founder and chairman Russ Withers says allegations of staff underpayment by franchisees have challenged all levels of the company, and substantial changes will be made to its business model.

Cash Converters International has announced a number of board changes, including the retirement of its chairman, and has commenced a review of the business as it responds to challenging market conditions.

SPECIAL REPORT: Perth’s fashion sector is gradually making its mark by developing niche opportunities, despite growing international competition.

Extended Christmas trading hours will apply again this year, with all general retail shops in the Perth metropolitan area able to open as early as 7am on weekdays and Saturdays.

Former head of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission Allan Fels will lead an independent panel to receive and review claims involving underpaid staff by franchisees of 7-Eleven.

National retail spending has fallen for the first time in over a year, dragged down by a drop in spending on household goods, but WA's retail sector remained strong.

Shares in outdoor adventure gear retailer Kathmandu were sharply lower after the Briscoe Group's takeover offer remained unchanged while Kathmandu remained unmoved.

7-Eleven says it will establish an independent panel to review franchise agreement terms, amid claims that staff have been underpaid by franchisees.

Harvey Norman's acquisition of a stake in a dairy farm may be mystifying for some, but not for executive chairman Gerry Harvey.

Myer is looking to a Topshop-led overhaul to end years of weak sales growth in its department stores, and is asking investors for the cash to pay for it.

A $23 million law suit settlement and a massive UK restructure have plunged Cash Converters to a $21.7 million annual loss.

Woolworths chairman Ralph Waters will step down after the supermarket giant suffered a 12.5 per cent slide in its full-year profit.

Westfield's Australian business is selling four shopping centres and funnelling the proceeds into redevelopments.

Lower food and grocery prices have helped drive up Coles' underlying earnings for parent company Wesfarmers.

Malaga-based curtains and blinds company Kresta Holdings has announced a half-yearly after-tax loss of $1.98 million for the six months to June 30.

Vehicle retailer Automotive Holdings Group is confident a downturn in Australia's mining boom will not hurt its profit growth.

Wesfarmers has promoted Rob Scott to managing director of a new industrials division created through the combination of its three non-retail operations.

JB Hi-Fi will launch a $15.2 million share buyback after lifting its full-year profit 6.35 per cent following a big increase in second-half sales.

Western Australian automotive sales have gone against the national trend for the month of July, down nearly 13 per cent on those of July 2014, despite a national increase in sales.

Australians splashing out on household goods have delivered a boost to retail spending in June.

Empty shopfronts in some of Perth’s high-profile retail strips are a sign of WA’s wider economic malaise.

The ABC will close its brick and mortar shops and focus on online retail in a move that will slash 300 jobs.

Retail, not mining, has borne the brunt of the slowdown in Western Australia during the past 12 months, with a study of the state’s economy by the investment bank Goldman Sachs revealing a startling decline in retail jobs of more than 20 per cent.

Bradken has sold its Bassendean engineering facility to Sydney property group Charter Hall in an off-market sale and leaseback deal worth about $32.8 million, while the Champion Drive Shopping Centre in Seville Grove has been sold for $13.5 million.

Seventy-five per cent of local businesses and 56 per cent of consumers believe the economy will deteriorate over the course of the new financial year.

Global fashion giant H&M says its first Western Australian store will open at Lakeside Joondalup Shopping City on August 29, while it also appears to be making progress on opening its planned C