Executive Summary

• This week’s note “From the Desk of Deborah Weinswig” discusses the shopping stretch in China that runs from Golden Week through 11/11 (Singles’ Day) and beyond.
• Target has been busy upgrading its supply chain, and this holiday season marks its biggest test yet. There’s a huge opportunity for the retailer as it competes with rivals like Walmart and Amazon this holiday.
• UK retail sales grew by 0.7% year over year in September, registering their weakest growth since last October and coming in below the three-month average of 1.2%. Comparable sales declined by 0.2% year over year during the month.
• JD Central, the joint venture between Chinese e-commerce behemoth JD.com and Thailand’s Central Group, has announced its intention to open automated stores, starting with a trial run in 2019 in Bangkok before a 2020 launch.