Weekly Insights Apr 22, 2016

Executive Summary

• This week’s note from Deborah Weinswig explores how the US retail industry will look in 2020, and includes an analysis of the segments that comprise retail, as well as their sizes and respective growth rates.
• A diverse group of investors is making big bets on beaten-down shopping centers as mall owners such as Simon Property Group and General Growth Properties shift their focus to prime properties in desirable locations that generate heavy foot traffic.
• German retail giant Metro Group plans to introduce MyMart, its convenience store brand, to China this year. The company intends to open two MyMart stores in Shanghai first, and later open stores in other cities across the country. Metro would like to advance its franchise businesses by seeking out experienced, local partners and growing further.
• WeChat launched version 1.0 of its long-anticipated office chat app, WeChat Enterprise, which can replace group email and make quick chats between colleagues easier. The app’s useful add-ons let employees mark when they are on a break and hold group voice/text chats. The app also has work-specific features, such as automated forms for reimbursement and vacation requests.