Retail

Growing Australian interest in Halloween is making the quintessentially American celebration as important for retailers as Easter and Christmas, the peak retailers' group says.

Plans are in motion for a $350 to $400 million redevelopment of Booragoon’s Garden City shopping centre, after a complex multi-million dollar ownership swap between Westfield and AMP Capital.

Wesfarmers has overcome tough times in the retail world and lifted its first quarter sales.

Struggling surfwear company Billabong has reaffirmed its earnings guidance, despite difficult trading conditions.

Businesses have received some positive news as they head into the crucial Christmas sales period, in the form of a sharp rebound in consumer spending.

Consumer sentiment is showing some "green shoots", says Wesfarmers chief executive Richard Goyder.

Woolworths' first quarter sales have increased by 4.3 per cent to more than $15 billion.

Automotive Holdings Group chairman Bronte Howson sold off $2.5 million in shares he received as an incentive after the car dealer network achieved a 94th percentile ranking in shareholder returns o

Billabong shares have plunged almost 17 per cent to their lowest ever price, after private equity firm TPG withdrew its $694.5 million takeover offer.

Consumer sentiment has improved slightly, but Australians remain pessimistic about the national economy.

Woolworths is spinning off its $1.4 billion shopping centres portfolio in a move that is expected to free up cash to help fight its price war with rival Coles.

Shares in troubled surf retailer Billabong have dived 18 per cent due to speculation a second private equity firm was considering withdrawing its takeover bid.

Australians are buying more cars and trucks this year with new vehicle sales increasing 9.4 per cent for the first nine months of the year, compared to the same period in 2011.

Harvey Norman chairman Gerry Harvey took a $115,000 pay cut in the 2011/12 financial year after the retailer's profits plunged 32 per cent.

The head of the former Centro Properties Group was paid $3 million in the final five months of the shopping centre owner's operation.

Coles boss Ian McLeod remains the highest paid executive at conglomerate Wesfarmers, despite taking a slight pay cut last financial year.

Woolworths shares have dipped slightly in early trade after it announced the sale of its Dick Smith Electronics chain to a private equity firm for $20 million.

Retail brand owner Premier Investments says it is enjoying great success from its shops in Singapore and plans to push into other Asian markets.

Shares in Billabong have dived after the troubled surfwear retailer said one of two private equity firms interested in taking over the group had withdrawn its offer.

Cautious consumers are keeping their wallets firmly shut and business needs to adapt to this new-found frugality, the Commonwealth Bank of Australia says.

Department store retailer David Jones has reported a 39.9 per cent fall in full year profit.

Car yards sold more new vehicles in August than ever before.

Surfwear brand Rip Curl is investigating approaches to invest in the company from several international organisations.

Supermarket retailer Woolworths insists it has not yet made a decision on whether to sell more of its multi-billion-dollar property portfolio.

Retailers have launched another campaign to have GST charged on internet purchases from overseas, warning that Australian governments would forgo revenue of more than $2.4 billion revenue over the

The City of Fremantle says Myer’s announcement that it will close its port city store early next year provides clarity for the proposed redevelopment of King’s Square.

Myer shares are down by more than three per cent after the department store issued no profit guidance for the year ahead because of the troubled retail environment.

Western Australian shopping centre managers are the most optimistic in the country, tipping sales growth over the next year thanks to relaxed Sunday trading laws and continuing strong economic cond

Consumer confidence has risen slightly, but remains sluggish despite several cash rate cuts and a relatively solid economy, a study has found.

Shares in surfwear retailer Billabong are up by almost eight per cent after the company received a second takeover offer.

Australian fashion retailer Ojay has gone into administration with store closures and job losses predicted.

Retail spending has slumped as shoppers kept away from department stores in big numbers and the effect of government handouts wore off.