British Retail Consortium (BRC) reported that shop price inflation fell to 1.3% in March, down from 2.5% in February. This was well below the three month average of 2.2%. Food costs drove the reduction, being just 3.7% higher than a year ago and marking the 10th consecutive month of slowing prices and its lowest since April 2022.

Colliers reports that investment volumes in January and February were 27% lower than in 2023. £2.1bn was transacted in February across all sectors – 56% below the five-year monthly average of £4.8bn.

Round Hill Capital has sold its Nido Living business to CPP Investments | Investissements RPC for an undisclosed price.

Newcore Capital has acquired the 70,000 sq ft Tesco in Bromley-by-Bow from British Land for £30m.

Savills Investment Management has raised £123m for its Simply Affordable Homes Limited Partnership fund. The five founding investors are: Samsung Life Insurance, London LGPS CIV Limited, Big Society Capital, Schroders BSC Social Impact Trust and Savills.

Alchemy Partners -backed honey has secured a £12.2m loan from OakNorth to fund the acquisition and development of two housing schemes in Huddersfield and Maltby.

Supermarket Income REIT has increased its unsecured facility with Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation – SMBC Group by £37.5m to £104.5m.

Aldi UK is set to open 35 new UK stores this year, after launching its 1,000th supermarket in Woking last year. The openings come under Aldi UK’s long-term target to launch 1,500 stores across the UK, investing £550m this year alone.

Bonmarche, Peacocks and Edinburgh Woollen Mill are set to open 100 new stores across the UK over the next 18 months.

Mark Charlton – Real Estate Research Consultant at Waypoint