https://www.scmp.com/rss/65620/feed Hong Kong ranks as the world's most expensive high-street retail destination with average rent of US$4,327 per sq ft per annum, surpassing New York, Paris, London and Tokyo by a substantial margin, according to the latest research from CBRE. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Hong Kong-headquartered Toys ‘R’ Us Asia has pivoted to an experience-focused format and smaller stores in the city following an expansion programme that sought to increase its outlets as it navigates the changing retail landscape. The group planned to close the year with 20 stores in Hong Kong, representing a 40 per cent rise from 2025, said Leo Tsoi, CEO of the toys and collectibles retailer. The strategy allows the group to be more nimble and adapt to the demographic shift, as toys and... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3350624/toys-r-us-game-changer-kidults-compact-shops-fuel-pivot-hong-kong-retail-evolves?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3350624/toys-r-us-game-changer-kidults-compact-shops-fuel-pivot-hong-kong-retail-evolves?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Apr 2026 00:30:13 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Futu Securities is the latest non-food and beverage retailer to sell coffee and other drinks in one of its outlets in Hong Kong as the online stock brokerage adapts to its clients’ lifestyle, according to a spokesman. Futu Café was officially launched on Thursday at the Futu Store on Lee Garden Road, Causeway Bay, close to its flagship store on Russell Street. Cups of espresso, Americano and iced blue coconut water, among other drinks, are available between 7.30am and 7.30pm. The launch of the... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3350205/futu-securities-opens-coffee-shop-branch-it-adapts-changing-client-lifestyles?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3350205/futu-securities-opens-coffee-shop-branch-it-adapts-changing-client-lifestyles?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 23:30:08 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Hong Kong’s New World Development (NWD) has shelved plans to acquire the remaining stakes in three commercial sites in Causeway Bay, signalling continued caution among developers despite signs of improving demand in the core office market. The company, which has been selling assets to reduce debt, said it would “exercise prudence as appropriate, having regard to cost and efficiency, as well as overall market supply and demand, with a view to delivering reasonable returns”. NWD, which reported... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3348834/new-world-pulls-back-causeway-bay-acquisition-amid-uneven-recovery?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3348834/new-world-pulls-back-causeway-bay-acquisition-amid-uneven-recovery?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 11:34:41 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Hong Kong’s property transactions crossed 7,000 for the sixth consecutive month in March – the first time in four years that monthly volumes stayed above this level – despite a slight fall last month, according to official data. Residential transactions declined by about 5.3 per cent to 6,316 from a month earlier, while their month-on-month value decreased by 4.19 per cent to HK$55.18 billion (US$7.04 billion), according to data from the Land Registry on Thursday. New and lived-in home sales... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3348739/hong-kongs-property-deals-exceed-7000-6-straight-months-march?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3348739/hong-kongs-property-deals-exceed-7000-6-straight-months-march?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 03:24:36 +0000 Peggy Ye Peggy Ye Retailers and restaurant operators in Hong Kong are rethinking how they use space as rents fall and demand weakens by moving back to street-level shops and experimenting with short-term “pop-up” leases. Hong Kong Hing Kee Java Edible Bird’s Nest (HK JEBN), known locally as “Lau Soeng” – Cantonese for “upstairs” – built its business by avoiding expensive street-front rents and operating from higher floors. It is now doing the opposite. “After the pandemic, the retail market has been weak,” said... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3347466/upstairs-moves-downstairs-hong-kong-outlets-head-street-level-landlords-cut-rents?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3347466/upstairs-moves-downstairs-hong-kong-outlets-head-street-level-landlords-cut-rents?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Mar 2026 07:30:09 +0000 Peggy Ye Peggy Ye Hong Kong’s fragile retail recovery is clouding the outlook for shopping mall rents, with Wharf Real Estate Investment Company (REIC) warning that rising geopolitical tensions could add further uncertainty even as visitor traffic improves. The landlord of Harbour City in Tsim Sha Tsui and Times Square in Causeway Bay said the retail market showed gradual improvement in 2025 as tourism picked up. “Volume increase, however, was not often accompanied by commensurate yield increase,” the company... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3346098/middle-east-tensions-add-uncertainty-hong-kong-retail-rents-wharf-reic-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3346098/middle-east-tensions-add-uncertainty-hong-kong-retail-rents-wharf-reic-says?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Mar 2026 10:05:40 +0000 Peggy Ye Peggy Ye A Singapore-rooted property family has put a rare residential estate in Hong Kong’s Southern district up for tender at about HK$300 million (US$38.4 million), testing demand for trophy homes as the city’s luxury housing market shows early signs of recovery despite soft prices. The tender for Belvedere, a low-density compound in Chung Hom Kok, would close at noon on April 28, according to marketing agent JLL. The property had been held by Remadour Estate since 1993, Land Registry records... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3346004/singapore-property-clan-puts-rare-hong-kong-estate-us384-million-tender?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3346004/singapore-property-clan-puts-rare-hong-kong-estate-us384-million-tender?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Mar 2026 00:30:08 +0000 Zhu Wenqian Zhu Wenqian For Steven Zhou, a 40-year-old Beijing office worker, suburban outlet stores offer a better shopping experience than urban malls, allowing him to escape the city, park his car without frustration and, most importantly, find good deals. “Outlets offer a wide selection of brands, with attractive discounts, especially on sportswear,” Zhou said. Across the mainland, outlets are expanding while traditional and luxury malls face high vacancy rates. Offering well-known brands at discounted prices,... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3345736/chinas-shoppers-head-suburban-outlets-bright-spot-retail-property?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3345736/chinas-shoppers-head-suburban-outlets-bright-spot-retail-property?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Mar 2026 00:30:08 +0000 Peggy Ye Peggy Ye McDonald’s has sold another Hong Kong retail property for HK$93.5 million (US$11.9 million), extending its asset sell-down and bringing total proceeds to about HK$580 million. The ground-floor unit at Mount Sterling Mall in Mei Foo Sun Chuen, Lai Chi Kok, was sold on February 27 to Huge Power (China) Ltd., according to Land Registry records. Companies Registry filings show the directors as Kwok Chong-wah, Kwok Lap-yin and Kwok Shun-sing, members of a veteran investor family. The 6,915 square... https://www.scmp.com/property/article/3345368/mcdonalds-sells-hong-kong-shop-outside-disposal-plan-us119-million?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/property/article/3345368/mcdonalds-sells-hong-kong-shop-outside-disposal-plan-us119-million?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Mar 2026 06:28:54 +0000 Nicholas Spiro Nicholas Spiro A decade ago, some investors believed the United States’ retail industry was going the way of the subprime mortgage market, whose collapse triggered the 2008 global financial crisis. The combination of the overbuilding of shopping centres and the dramatic rise of online shopping plunged bricks-and-mortar stores into crisis. Fears of a “retail apocalypse” were rife. The double whammy of overcapacity and the “Amazon effect” also hit the United Kingdom’s retail sector hard, with prominent stores... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3345094/unique-resilience-australias-retail-property-deserves-attention?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3345094/unique-resilience-australias-retail-property-deserves-attention?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Mar 2026 06:30:08 +0000 Peggy Ye Peggy Ye Edwin Leong Siu-hung, chairman of Tai Hung Fai Enterprise Group and long dubbed Hong Kong’s “king of shops”, has sold a flat in the ultra-exclusive Mount Nicholson enclave on The Peak, saying weak rental returns did not make it worthwhile to hold the property any longer. Land Registry records showed Leong sold the 4,566 sq ft four-bedroom flat for HK$323 million (US$41.3 million), or about HK$70,740 per square foot. He bought the property in 2016 for about HK$312 million. While the selling price... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3344861/hong-kongs-king-shops-edwin-leong-sells-home-peak-us413-million?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3344861/hong-kongs-king-shops-edwin-leong-sells-home-peak-us413-million?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Feb 2026 08:28:24 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Sun Hung Kai Properties (SHKP), Hong Kong’s largest developer by market capitalisation, reported a 36.2 per cent year-on-year jump in first-half net profit to HK$10.25 billion (US$1.3 billion). Revenue rose 32 per cent to HK$52.7 billion for the six months ended December from a year earlier, while operating income increased 10.7 per cent to HK$13.4 billion, the developer said in a filing to the Hong Kong stock exchange on Thursday. Underlying profit, which discounts property revaluations, gained... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3344741/shkp-hong-kongs-bellwether-developer-posts-36-jump-first-half-net-profit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3344741/shkp-hong-kongs-bellwether-developer-posts-36-jump-first-half-net-profit?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Feb 2026 10:23:04 +0000 Cao Li Cao Li China’s shop rents have slid back to 2018 levels as subdued consumer spending continues to weigh on the retail sector, with analysts expecting the pressure to persist for another one to two years. In the second half of 2025, average rents across 100 major commercial streets in 15 key mainland cities fell to 24 yuan (US$3.50) per square metre per day — the lowest level since the second half of 2018 — according to a report published on Monday by independent real estate research firm China Index... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3344308/empty-shops-falling-rents-commercial-property-takes-hit-china-retail-slump?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3344308/empty-shops-falling-rents-commercial-property-takes-hit-china-retail-slump?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Feb 2026 06:30:07 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Hong Kong’s residential property market made gradual and steady gains in the Year of the Snake, with the momentum set to continue in the Year of the Horse, according to the city’s largest real estate agencies. “The Year of the Snake marked the end of three years of decline and a strong rebound fuelled by policy easing and wealth effect [from the Hong Kong stock market’s gain],” said Derek Chan Hoi-chiu, head of research at Ricacorp Properties. “The Year of the Horse will build on the momentum,”... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3344141/hong-kongs-property-market-build-gains-year-horse-agents-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3344141/hong-kongs-property-market-build-gains-year-horse-agents-say?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Feb 2026 10:00:16 +0000 Peggy Ye Peggy Ye Hong Kong could see another cinema shut down in a prime retail district after the management of IFC Mall began informally sounding out potential tenants for the roughly 20,000 sq ft (1,858 square metres) occupied by Palace IFC, whose lease expires at the end of the year, according to people familiar with the matter. Sun Hung Kai Properties (SHKP), which manages the mall in Central, had been reaching out to select industry contacts to explore options as the struggling cinema business had... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3343339/box-office-bust-show-may-be-over-another-hong-kong-cinema?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3343339/box-office-bust-show-may-be-over-another-hong-kong-cinema?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Feb 2026 00:30:08 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Hong Kong’s so-called headquarters economy, in which the city serves as a regional and global base for corporate headquarters, is spurring recovery in the commercial real estate sector as analysts forecast an improved investment environment this year. The city’s battered office market showed signs of stability in 2025, with 2.1 million sq ft (195,000 square metres) of net absorption for the full year, the largest annual total since 2018, according to CBRE. Central recorded the biggest... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3342815/what-hong-kongs-headquarters-economy-and-how-it-drives-commercial-property-upswing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3342815/what-hong-kongs-headquarters-economy-and-how-it-drives-commercial-property-upswing?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Feb 2026 07:44:27 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Hong Kong commercial real estate is the Asia-Pacific region’s fifth most favoured investment destination for cross-border capital this year, underscoring an improved outlook for the city’s battered property market, according to a CBRE report. Hong Kong also recorded the second-highest number of luxury residential property deals among 12 super-prime markets worldwide in the last quarter of 2025, sustaining a recovery that began in the second quarter, a report from Knight Frank showed. After a... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3342451/hong-kong-back-top-choice-foreign-commercial-property-investors-study-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3342451/hong-kong-back-top-choice-foreign-commercial-property-investors-study-says?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Feb 2026 03:15:41 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Hong Kong’s property transactions slipped in January, official data showed, but agents are betting on a Lunar New Year “mini-boom” after several new-home launches sold out in recent weeks. Deals covering new and existing homes, offices, shops, car parking spaces and industrial units fell 15.2 per cent month on month to 7,631, while transaction value declined 12 per cent to about HK$57.25 billion (US$7.3 billion). “With both the economy and stock market performing well, coupled with steadily... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3342223/hong-kong-home-sales-slide-january-agents-eye-lunar-new-year-mini-boom?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3342223/hong-kong-home-sales-slide-january-agents-eye-lunar-new-year-mini-boom?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Feb 2026 11:00:38 +0000 Peggy Ye Peggy Ye The couple behind the Asia distributor of Japanese skincare brand Fancl has bought prime office and retail space in Hong Kong’s Admiralty district, highlighting selective bargain hunting by cash-rich local investors as commercial property prices remain under pressure. Gourmet Dining Group, owned by Christopher Chan and wife Michelle Ma-chan, agreed on January 5 to buy a shop and a unit on the first floor as well as part of the mezzanine on the second floor at Lippo Centre for HK$299 million... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3340397/fancl-distributor-couple-buys-lippo-centre-office-shop-us383-million-deal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3340397/fancl-distributor-couple-buys-lippo-centre-office-shop-us383-million-deal?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Jan 2026 07:20:35 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Hong Kong’s banking and finance sector is tipped to lead retail property leasing activity, with massive uptake by firms like Forthright Securities, Futu Holdings and HSBC providing support to landlords struggling through a multi-year real estate slump. Forthright Securities leased three storeys totalling 14,000 sq ft at Golden Centre in Sheung Wan for its first flagship branch in the city, according to CBRE, which facilitated the transaction. “This transaction not only demonstrates Forthright... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3339955/banks-and-brokerages-growing-demand-space-buoys-hong-kongs-retail-property-sector?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3339955/banks-and-brokerages-growing-demand-space-buoys-hong-kongs-retail-property-sector?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 15 Jan 2026 23:00:09 +0000 Connor Mycroft Connor Mycroft Fortnum & Mason, the upmarket department store chain that counts the British royal family among its regular customers, has announced that its flagship shop in Hong Kong will close by the end of the month. The British luxury goods brand, known for its speciality teas and food hampers, announced on Friday that the store, which opened in 2019, would also offer discounts of up to 60 per cent ahead of its closure. “We want to share that we have taken the decision to close our store and restaurant in... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3339352/fortnum-masons-hong-kong-branch-close-january-25-holds-clearance-sale?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3339352/fortnum-masons-hong-kong-branch-close-january-25-holds-clearance-sale?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 Jan 2026 09:53:06 +0000 Peggy Ye Peggy Ye McDonald’s has sold another Hong Kong retail property for HK$118.7 million (US$15.2 million), bringing the proceeds from its ongoing asset disposal programme to about HK$490 million, as well-capitalised investors continue to snap up prime real estate. The 10,000 sq ft-plus property at 46-47 Yee Wo Street in Causeway Bay was sold to Evergreen Capital Partners. Ng Yin was listed as director of the firm, according to the Companies Registry. The deal, which was signed on December 10, included the... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3339216/repeat-buyer-tucks-another-mcdonalds-hong-kong-shop-us152-million?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3339216/repeat-buyer-tucks-another-mcdonalds-hong-kong-shop-us152-million?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 Jan 2026 00:30:09 +0000 Peggy Ye Peggy Ye Morgan Stanley upgraded Hong Kong’s property sector to “attractive”, noting that an all-round improvement in the city’s economy and a policy-driven recovery will continue to push prices higher this year. The US investment bank forecast home prices to rise around 10 per cent in 2026, with further gains expected in 2027, pointing out that the ongoing rebound marks the start of a new upcycle. “We expect all three sub-segments – Hong Kong residential prices, Central office rents and retail rents –... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3338864/morgan-stanley-lifts-hong-kong-property-attractive-rebound-extend-2027?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3338864/morgan-stanley-lifts-hong-kong-property-attractive-rebound-extend-2027?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Jan 2026 09:28:15 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren Small restaurants across mainland China have taken a beating as budget-conscious consumers refrain from dining out because of prevailing pessimism about their income amid a shaky economy. Some establishments are already at a make-or-break point after posting losses for several straight months. “My family used to live on the restaurant, which generated strong cash flow for us,” said Zhang Hongbin, owner of a canteen serving noodles and dumplings on Lancun Road in Shanghai’s Pudong New Area. “But... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3338242/small-restaurants-china-starve-consumers-suppress-appetite-spending?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3338242/small-restaurants-china-starve-consumers-suppress-appetite-spending?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 01 Jan 2026 04:30:08 +0000 Vincenzo La Torre Vincenzo La Torre Earlier this year, property group Hongkong Land announced that Landmark, its flagship mall in Hong Kong’s Central district, would undergo a major three-year renovation involving the revamp and expansion of stores from top tenants such as Cartier, Chanel, Dior and Louis Vuitton. The company said it would invest US$400 million into the three-year redevelopment and the brands involved would add a further US$600 million. Belowground, a retail concept first introduced five years ago, has revealed a... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/lifestyle/leisure/article/3337323/belowground-retail-concept-unveils-new-look-hong-kong-part-landmarks-revamp?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/lifestyle/leisure/article/3337323/belowground-retail-concept-unveils-new-look-hong-kong-part-landmarks-revamp?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Dec 2025 10:00:21 +0000 Zhu Wenqian Zhu Wenqian Stand-alone flagship stores with distinctive architectural facades, long prevalent in global metropolises like Tokyo, Seoul and New York, are gradually gaining traction in China, as the country’s retail landscape undergoes a broader shift from enclosed malls towards open-air and street-facing formats. More luxury brands are setting up such flagships in places like Beijing’s Taikoo Li Sanlitun North, a trendy open-air commercial block developed and operated by Hong Kong’s Swire... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3337052/dior-louis-vuitton-ditch-chinas-malls-shopping-streets-replicate-ginzas-charm?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3337052/dior-louis-vuitton-ditch-chinas-malls-shopping-streets-replicate-ginzas-charm?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 21 Dec 2025 02:00:08 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal The 50,000-seat Kai Tak Stadium is transforming Hong Kong into a major sports and events destination, as it drives repeat tourism, supports retailers and helps prop up the city’s retail property landlords, according to experts. It served as the venue for British rock band Coldplay’s four-night concert in April and K-pop girl group Twice’s first-ever shows in the city earlier this month. A three-night gig by K-pop sensation Blackpink will also be held there next month. The stadium had been ranked... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3336788/hong-kongs-kai-tak-stadium-lifts-citys-status-major-sports-and-entertainment-venue?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3336788/hong-kongs-kai-tak-stadium-lifts-citys-status-major-sports-and-entertainment-venue?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Dec 2025 10:30:08 +0000 Peggy Ye Peggy Ye Taiwanese brand Nap Tea drew long lines when it opened its first Hong Kong store in Mong Kok in February. The chain has since expanded aggressively, opening its ninth outlet in the city this month. “What truly surprised us was our breakthrough in quickly building a loyal base of repeat customers,” said co-founder Dan Lin. “Rent is indeed a major challenge in the Hong Kong market, but it proves that as long as the product is strong enough, it can overcome the pressure of high costs.” Co-founded... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3336285/new-entrants-steady-hong-kong-retail-property-sector-absence-luxury-giants?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3336285/new-entrants-steady-hong-kong-retail-property-sector-absence-luxury-giants?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 14 Dec 2025 23:30:11 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Hongkong Land is set to launch what it expects to be the largest private real estate fund in Singapore, with more than S$8 billion (US$6.2 billion) in assets under management, including prime commercial projects in the waterfront Marina Bay district. At inception, the Singapore Central Private Real Estate Fund (SCPREF) would include one-third stakes in One Raffles Quay and Marina Bay Financial Centre Towers 1 and 2, the Hong Kong-based commercial landlord and developer said in a statement on... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3336260/hongkong-land-poised-launch-us6-billion-singapore-property-fund?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3336260/hongkong-land-poised-launch-us6-billion-singapore-property-fund?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Dec 2025 11:30:18 +0000 Peggy Ye Peggy Ye Hongkong Land has secured the return of international law firm Harneys to its office portfolio in the Central business district, in a deal that underscores improved sentiment in Hong Kong’s premium commercial property market. Harneys, which marks its 20th year in Hong Kong in 2025, has signed an eight-year lease for 11,048 sq ft on the 14th floor of Alexandra House, part of Hongkong Land’s Landmark complex. The firm, a repeat tenant previously based in Exchange Square, will relocate in February... https://www.scmp.com/property/hong-kong-china/article/3335842/hongkong-lands-leasing-deal-law-firm-harneys-sign-flight-quality?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/property/hong-kong-china/article/3335842/hongkong-lands-leasing-deal-law-firm-harneys-sign-flight-quality?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Dec 2025 05:00:08 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal McDonald’s sold a property in Kowloon for HK$72.4 million (US$9.3 million), as the Chicago-based fast-food giant reached HK$333 million in proceeds at the halfway point in a campaign to dispose of eight Hong Kong retail properties. A company called Mega Champ bought the property in the Tai Fong Building of Cosmopolitan Estate in Tai Kok Tsui in a transaction dated November 26, according to Land Registry records. The deal, which was registered on Friday, comprised two ground-floor shops as well... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3335642/mcdonalds-cooks-fat-profit-us93-million-hong-kong-property-sale?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3335642/mcdonalds-cooks-fat-profit-us93-million-hong-kong-property-sale?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Dec 2025 00:30:09 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Schiaparelli, a fashion house known for its unique and surreal designs, is set to make its Asian debut with a permanent outlet in Hong Kong, according to Hongkong Land. The shop in Landmark, one of the city’s premium shopping centres in the main Central business district, was set to open in January, said Alexander Li, head of retail at the commercial real estate developer and landlord. “It will be Schiaparelli’s first boutique in Asia and they chose Hongkong Land’s Landmark as the first place to... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3335499/schiaparelli-picks-hong-kongs-landmark-first-flagship-asian-store?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3335499/schiaparelli-picks-hong-kongs-landmark-first-flagship-asian-store?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Dec 2025 01:30:15 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal HSBC is set to occupy more than 40,000 sq ft of space in Capitol Centre in Causeway Bay, as Hong Kong’s largest bank joins a growing list of finance and banking firms snapping up commercial space in the city. The London-headquartered lender signed a five-year lease, which starts May 18, 2026, for five levels – ground plus four floors of the building, according to Land Registry records. The deal was registered in late November. The records did not show the size or rent for the leased space, but... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3335233/hsbc-occupy-over-40000-sq-ft-hong-kongs-capitol-centre-2026?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3335233/hsbc-occupy-over-40000-sq-ft-hong-kongs-capitol-centre-2026?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Dec 2025 00:30:10 +0000 Ken Ip Ken Ip There was a time when Hong Kong’s retail landlords looked untouchable. If you wanted a dependable income, you would buy shares in the city’s leading real estate investment trusts (Reits), the steady dividend machines of a service economy built on foot traffic, routine and the long-held assumption that Hongkongers would always shop. These companies were the unshakeable pillars of everyday commerce. They prospered not because the economy was roaring, but because consumers kept showing up. That era... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3333967/why-not-just-another-retail-downturn-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3333967/why-not-just-another-retail-downturn-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 26 Nov 2025 08:30:08 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Hong Kong’s Tsim Sha Tsui remained the world’s fourth most expensive retail strip with rents at US$1,515 per square foot per year, as two other core shopping districts in the city – Causeway Bay and Central – also ranked among the Asia-Pacific’s priciest shopping locations, according to Cushman & Wakefield. London’s New Bond Street jumped two spots from last year to emerge as the world’s most expensive retail district, according to the real-estate services consultancy’s 35th “Main Streets Across... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3333415/hong-kongs-tsim-sha-tsui-holds-ground-worlds-fourth-priciest-shopping-district?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3333415/hong-kongs-tsim-sha-tsui-holds-ground-worlds-fourth-priciest-shopping-district?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 19 Nov 2025 09:53:57 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Henderson Land Development has unveiled Central Yards, a 1.6 million sq ft mixed-use project taking shape on Hong Kong’s most expensive piece of prime real estate and a key component of the developer’s HK$63 billion (US$8 billion) New Central Harbourfront project. The nine-storey building in Central, which would offer more than 700,000 sq ft of office and ancillary space, would have the largest floorplate in the city’s main business district, Henderson said in a statement on Tuesday. Five of the... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3333346/henderson-unveils-central-yards-centrepiece-its-us8-billion-harbourfront-project?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3333346/henderson-unveils-central-yards-centrepiece-its-us8-billion-harbourfront-project?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 19 Nov 2025 04:37:05 +0000 Salina Li Salina Li Two McDonald’s shops in Hong Kong have been sold to the same buyer for HK$183 million (US$23.5 million), marking the fast-food chain’s second and third sales this month as it proceeds with an asset-disposal plan amid an improving commercial property market. A 7,357 sq ft property in Mong Kok’s Good Hope Building was handed over to Verity Partners for HK$83.2 million, or HK$11,293 per square foot, on Friday, according to data from the Land Registry. A two-storey shop spanning 6,826 sq ft at 12... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3332236/mcdonalds-hong-kong-shops-sell-hotcakes-two-properties-go-us235-million?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3332236/mcdonalds-hong-kong-shops-sell-hotcakes-two-properties-go-us235-million?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 10 Nov 2025 12:16:20 +0000 Cao Li Cao Li In a central Wuhan shopping centre, a banner for a new Pop Mart hangs where an Air Jordan store once stood. When the store famous for the wildly popular Labubu figures opens early next year, it will sit next to a Tiffany & Co boutique and across from a Prada shop on the ground floor – space traditionally reserved for high-end purveyors of apparel, jewellery and cosmetics. The mall in the capital of central China’s Hubei province is not an isolated case. Pop Mart and fellow makers of collectible... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3331948/how-chinas-emotional-spending-trend-transforming-shopping-malls?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3331948/how-chinas-emotional-spending-trend-transforming-shopping-malls?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 10 Nov 2025 01:30:10 +0000 Danielle Popov,Cheryl Arcibal Danielle Popov,Cheryl Arcibal Currency exchange shops, once a ubiquitous feature of Hong Kong’s retail landscape, are in a gradual, irreversible decline, with their closure precipitated by the pandemic, stricter licensing regulations and adoption of an array of convenient digital payment systems. The number of registered currency exchange shops in the city has more than halved to around 1,050 from a peak of nearly 2,500 in 2018, before the social unrest and border closures brought tourism to a standstill for three years,... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3331890/record-rent-retreat-hong-kongs-currency-exchange-shops-have-become-dying-breed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3331890/record-rent-retreat-hong-kongs-currency-exchange-shops-have-become-dying-breed?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 09 Nov 2025 03:00:14 +0000 Salina Li,Cheryl Arcibal Salina Li,Cheryl Arcibal McDonald’s Corp has sold a shop in Yuen Long via public tender for HK$77.4 million (US$9.9 million), the fast-food chain’s first since it announced an asset-disposal plan in July. The three-storey, 9,695 sq ft property in Yuen Long Trade Centre was handed over to the buyer, Acc Investment, on Monday, according to data from the Land Registry. McDonald’s did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The sale fetched the company more than eight times its investment of HK$9.3 million in... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3331517/mcdonalds-sells-first-hong-kong-property-us154-million-asset-disposal-plan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3331517/mcdonalds-sells-first-hong-kong-property-us154-million-asset-disposal-plan?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 05 Nov 2025 00:30:07 +0000 Salina Li Salina Li A mega waterfront commercial site in Hong Kong’s Quarry Bay that has been left idle for nearly two decades by a now-bankrupt local businessman may finally be poised for a revival. The current owner, Marine Riches, majority owned by Seoul-based private equity group MBK Partners, had applied to amend plans for the site to the Town Planning Board – a move that came amid signs of recovery in Hong Kong’s retail sector and property market. Marine Riches proposed to build a mixed-use development... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3331006/idle-hong-kong-seafront-site-gets-new-lease-life-private-equity-firm-mbk-partners?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3331006/idle-hong-kong-seafront-site-gets-new-lease-life-private-equity-firm-mbk-partners?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 31 Oct 2025 04:25:32 +0000 Nicholas Spiro Nicholas Spiro When predicting and assessing the shape of recoveries, analysts have made use of letters of the alphabet. A V-shaped recovery denotes a sharp rebound following a steep downturn. If the recovery takes a U-shape, however, both the trough of the downturn and the recovery last much longer. An L-shaped recovery signifies that activity never recovers meaningfully. In Hong Kong, pinning a letter to the trajectory of an industry is easiest in the financial sector. The city’s equity market has staged a... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3330421/u-shaped-rebound-hong-kongs-commercial-property-unlikely?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3330421/u-shaped-rebound-hong-kongs-commercial-property-unlikely?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Oct 2025 08:30:15 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal PapaHome, a partnership between Chinese e-commerce platform Taobao and local home repair platform Papabo, will open a 40,000 sq ft furniture and lifestyle store in Causeway Bay in the second quarter of next year. The outlet in Fashion Walk would be the Hong Kong-based company’s second in the city, after it opened its first bricks-and-mortar shop in Tsim Sha Tsui in February, according to a statement from the joint venture on Friday. Taobao, which does not own a stake in PapaHome, is operated by... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3330116/papahome-open-second-hong-kong-store-online-offline-strategy-pays?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3330116/papahome-open-second-hong-kong-store-online-offline-strategy-pays?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Oct 2025 00:30:09 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal As Japan enters a new era with the likely election of Sanae Takaichi as the first female prime minister of Asia’s second-largest economy, is it time for property investors to end their enduring love affair with Japanese real estate? The 64-year-old Takaichi emerged last week as the leader of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party, paving the way for her to seek the premiership, although uncertainties remain following the collapse of a coalition with the party’s allies. Under an anticipated... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3329467/china-hong-kong-property-markets-stabilise-it-time-investors-quit-japan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3329467/china-hong-kong-property-markets-stabilise-it-time-investors-quit-japan?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Oct 2025 01:30:14 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Ever since Hong Kong’s retail sector shook off 14 months of consecutive declines in May, analysts have been speculating whether the city’s landlords and developers can look forward to rental increases sooner rather than later. Hong Kong retailers such as Bakehouse and Korean food and beverage operator Seoul Recipe Group are more optimistic these days, as locals and tourists alike start to spend more in the city. However, a meaningful recovery in rents for high street shops and prime shopping... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3328623/hong-kong-retailers-cheer-sales-boom-shop-rental-hikes-may-not-follow-any-time-soon?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3328623/hong-kong-retailers-cheer-sales-boom-shop-rental-hikes-may-not-follow-any-time-soon?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Oct 2025 02:30:08 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal A new trend has emerged in Hong Kong’s commercial property landscape as the retail sector slowly recovers: non-food and beverage (F&B) brands are turning to casual dining to entice young consumers and get more out of their premises. Japanese apparel retailer Uniqlo carved up some space for a cafe in its refurbished Cityplaza outlet in Taikoo Shing last year and American luxury brand Ralph Lauren went further by opening standalone Ralph’s Coffee shops in high-end malls like Harbour City in Tsim... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3328190/new-trend-among-fashion-brands-setting-cafes-drive-store-traffic?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3328190/new-trend-among-fashion-brands-setting-cafes-drive-store-traffic?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Oct 2025 04:03:37 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Mandarin Oriental International said on Tuesday it was in discussions regarding the potential sale of a portion of its prime mixed-use building, One Causeway Bay, in one of Hong Kong’s top retail and business hubs. The company, which operated 43 assets worldwide as of June, said negotiations were ongoing but “there can be no certainty that any sale will proceed, nor as to the terms on which such a sale might be made”. “A further announcement will be made if and when appropriate,” it said. A... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3327369/mandarin-oriental-confirms-talks-sell-top-floors-new-one-causeway-bay-tower?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3327369/mandarin-oriental-confirms-talks-sell-top-floors-new-one-causeway-bay-tower?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Sep 2025 08:30:14 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Hong Kong’s bid to be an international education hub is spurring investments in the city’s battered commercial property segment, with hotels being converted to student housing and schools becoming a major driver of leasing in the retail sector, according to analysts. So far this year, investors have spent HK$2.6 billion (US$334 million) in the student accommodation segment, including Hong Kong Metropolitan University’s acquisition of the Urbanwood Hung Hom Hotel, which was converted into student... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3327071/hong-kong-schools-ramp-property-investment-leasing-city-eyes-education-hub-status?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3327071/hong-kong-schools-ramp-property-investment-leasing-city-eyes-education-hub-status?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Sep 2025 01:30:12 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal The worst seems to be over for Hong Kong’s property sector, with more investors likely to snap up distressed assets in the coming months and home sales set to continue improving as the market anticipates faster interest-rate cuts, according to a JPMorgan researcher. The city’s real estate industry had been battered, with several listed property developers seeking to renegotiate the terms of loans, said Karl Chan, head of Hong Kong property research at the US investment bank. However, there was... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3325321/outlook-clears-hong-kong-property-market-rate-cuts-imminent-jpmorgan-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3325321/outlook-clears-hong-kong-property-market-rate-cuts-imminent-jpmorgan-says?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Sep 2025 07:30:16 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Uniqlo is focusing on revamping its 32 outlets in Hong Kong rather than expanding its footprint amid sluggish retail sales, as the popular Japanese fashion retailer contends with a decline in revenue and profit from its Greater China region. However, revamping existing stores sometimes includes leasing more space. For example, a store currently under renovation and set to reopen on October 17 in Mira Place in Tsim Sha Tsui will nearly double to 27,000 sq ft. A new-look store in City Plaza in... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3324646/uniqlo-hong-kong-chooses-upgrades-over-expansion-it-aims-evolve-local-needs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3324646/uniqlo-hong-kong-chooses-upgrades-over-expansion-it-aims-evolve-local-needs?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Sep 2025 01:30:15 +0000