German prosecutors have opened a probe into possible breach of trust by former Arcandor Chief Executive Thomas Middelhoff.

The wave of bankruptcies that has eliminated dozens of U.S. retail chains could force landlords to rethink their traditional aversion to having small, independent retailers as tenants.

The recent wave of retail bankruptcies has left lots of empty storefronts in shopping centers and malls, and landlords may be in for a long drought as retailers curtail expansion plans amid recession.

Canada's Hart Stores Inc, an operator of mid-sized department stores, said it has suspended regular dividend to use the cash flow from operations to fund its growth plan.

Retailers who scoffed at the web during the flush days of consumer spending are now diving head first into online initiatives, lured by that channel's resilience in the downturn.

US retail sales rose in May, for the first time in three months, fueled mostly by higher gasoline prices, the government said Thursday 11 June amid signs a prolonged recession is easing.

Canadian teenage clothing retailer West 49 Inc posted a narrower quarterly loss, helped improved margins, better demand for its products and cost cutting.

Swedish direct seller of cosmetics Oriflame is losing margin this year as the economic crisis caps its pricing flexibility, even in Russia, its most make-up-addicted market.

China may become the world's biggest luxury market in some years but cultural challenges to win customers' hearts for certain types of products remain, industry executives said this week.

Fewer party dresses, a return to the classics, lower price tags and emptier store shelves -- those are the strategies U.S. retailers have devised to try to successfully navigate this year's Christmas season.

An auction for assets of bankrupt retailer Filene's Basement will reopen on 12 June, according to a court notice filed on Wednesday 9 June, possibly derailing a sale to Men's Wearhouse.

Several rival bidders for bankrupt retailer Filene's Basement are contesting the results of its auction, saying the $67 million winning bid for the company from Men's Wearhouse was improper.

Upscale retailer Saks Inc expects to open three to five outlet stores per year but sees little need for additional locations for its core stores, as the U.S. economy remains mired in recession.

Leading global consumer goods exporter Li & Fung on Wednesday 10 June said the insolvency of one of Germany's biggest retailers, Arcandor, would impact the company's three-year plan to boost sales to $20 billion.

The market for luxury goods in Dubai became saturated even before the financial crisis hit last year and the sector's exclusivity status runs the risk of being diminished.