Target, Inc.

New York -- The slowdown in consumer spending is set to continue for the rest of the year, said Moody’s Investors Service in a new sector report entitled "U.S. Retail: Retail Sales Growth Slows Amid a Cautious Consumer.”

MINNEAPOLIS — Target is once again bringing Black Friday to the summer, this year expanding the sale to two full days, July 20 to 21. Target will also hold its first-ever Summer Cyber Week sale from July 22 to 28, featuring daily deals on Target.com for must-have products such as electronics, apparel, baby gear and more.

Retailers can’t seem to get enough of partnerships these days…be it with hot designers, each other or television shows. Below is a quick recap of three new couplings that have the industry buzzing.

1. Nordstrom and Topshop: Looking to add more fashion sizzle to its offerings, Nordstrom has entered into a joint venture with Topshop, the British fast-fashion giant known for its runway-inspired threads and rock ‘n’ roll attitude.

Target has come up with some clever buzz-building brand activities over the years and a new initiative underway in Seattle is no exception.

Walmart and Target were both winners this week as Target announced a deal with Neiman Marcus that makes the distinction between it and Walmart even sharper.

No Wonder Walmart’s U.S. sales are on the upswing. Kantar’s Marx media solutions group this week in its mid-year report noted free standing insert pages for Walmart increased nearly 82% to 2.5 billion pages during the first half of the year.

Minneapolis -- Target on Thursday confirmed the list of the stores that it intends to open across Canada in 2013.

As previously reported, Target purchased the leasehold interests of 189 sites currently operated by Zellers, and is slated to open 125 to 135 stores in Canada, the majority of which will open in 2013.

The latest announcement confirms the first 125 stores that will open in 2013, and later this year, Target will confirm additional store locations that will open starting in early 2014 and beyond.

Washington, D.C. -- Columbia, S.C.-based Edens said Wednesday that its new mixed-use development Mosaic will open this September in Washington, D.C.

After a weaker-than-expected showing in June, Target needs a solid performance in July to deliver on its second quarter sales and profit expectations.

June same-store sales increased a modest 2.1%, well below a 4.4% increase in May, but the deceleration didn’t cause the company to adjust its second quarter guidance. The company expects second quarter earnings adjusted to exclude expenses related to its entry in Canada to range from $1.04 to $1.14 and earnings that include the Canadian costs to range from 94 centers to $1.04.

A partnership between New York designer Liz Lange and Target has contributed to a transformation of the maternity wear market over the past decade, according to Target’s hometown newspaper the Star Tribune.

A recent article on the partnership and its success quoted Lange and even got SVP Trish Adams to hold still for a photo shoot at a downtown Minneapolis store.