Finance & Capital Management

Washington, D.C. -- A report released Monday by the Commerce Department said that retail sales beat expectations for October, climbing 1.2% and representing the biggest gain since March.

The 1.2% rise in October purchases followed a 0.7% gain in September, which also was larger than estimated.

Atlanta -- Midwest department store operator Von Maur will enter the Atlanta market, taking over a fomer Belk’s space at North Point Mall in Alpharetta, Ga., pending approval by the city's design review board, Atlanta Business News reported.

Barcelona, Spain -- Tommy Hilfiger Europe has selected an electronic invoicing software from IBM to reduce the cost of cross-border and domestic trading by automating its electronic invoicing processes.

Plano, Texas -- J.C. Penney reported a better-than-expected increase in third-quarter profit Friday, crediting controlled costs and positive response to its newest exclusive brands, which include Liz Claiborne and MNG by Mango, and its Sephora in-store cosmetic boutiques.

The chain posted a profit of $44 million in the period ended Oct. 30, compared with $27 million a year ago. Total sales increased 0.2% to $4.19 billion, up from $4.18 billion in the third quarter last year. Same-store sales rose 1.9%.

Chevy Chase, Md. -- Steuart Investment Co. said that Giant Food has signed a lease to anchor a mixed-use project slated for development in Washington, D.C.

The project, called 360º H Street, is a nearly 290,000-sq.-ft., LEED-certified development and features street-level retail topped by 215 rental units. Torti Gallas and Partners, Inc. of Silver Spring is the architect. 

Santa Barbara, Calif. -- Investec announced it has raised $130 million for acquisition of grocery- and drug-anchored centers located in the coastal region of California.