As the UK gears up for its final shopping weekend before Christmas, a new prediction says that shoppers should spend £136 million in London’s West End on Saturday and Sunday.

Sales to global shoppers are continuing to grow in London but while its status as the key destination is undiminished, it has lost share to Birmingham and Manchester this year, says tax-free payments specialist Planet.

Luxe British retailer Fortnum & Mason saw its profits rising 26% in the year to mid-July as the luxury market prospered despite “the most challenging domestic retail backdrop in years”.

Kipling is continuing its brand reinvention and its latest step will be a move into hard-case luggage next year. The brand best known for its crinkle nylon material will launch a hard-shell range in February.

Fashion retailer Missguided is diving into the holiday market and while that doesn’t mean it’s directly organising fashion package tours, it has launched Missguided Vacays with comparison and deals website icelolly.com.

The next three years will see London's West End enjoying an almost £3 billion investment spend that will transform Oxford Street into an experiential location and boost visitors by 40%.

International shopper spending growth is slowing in the UK and that's bad news for luxury fashion labels, although on the plus side, those shoppers who do visit Britain seem to be spending more per transaction.

The French luggage and leather goods brand, bought by Samsonite in 2014, recently appointed Sébastien Valette as global general manager, succeeding Jonathan Dory.

A number of UK luxury brands have started a four-day trade mission to the US. It comes as the trade war between Donald Trump and the EU hits home with new tariffs being imposed this month.

UK high street and travel retail newsagent WH Smith has delivered a surprise with news that it’s buying US travel retail specialist Marshall Retail for $400m/£312m, radically expanding its travel retail chain.

Hong Kong's August retail sales were the worst on record, the government said on Wednesday, as escalating anti-government protests scared off tourists and battered spending.

Marco Dippe has been promoted to the role of CEO of EMEA & Global Travel Retail, while Marcus Meyer will take over as CEO of Central & Northern Europe.

With China’s Golden Week shopping jamboree just around the corner, there are predictions that the UK will see an increase of 4% in tax-free retail sales during the seven day-event.

Selfridges has launched a globally exclusive partnership with Prada, which the retailer said presents “a new perspective on” the AW19 Anatomy of Romance collection. 

Shoppers may not be in the mood for lavish spending at the moment, but the retail sector is being “propped up” by spending on the part of international tourists. And luxury fashion is a key beneficiary of this.

Macy’s cut its full-year earnings forecast on Wednesday after missing estimates for quarterly profit for the first time in at least two years, as it discounted merchandise heavily to clear spring inventory.