Consumer Electronics

London -- A report issued by C.B. Richard Ellis on Friday said that global shopping center development has reached unprecedented levels of construction and new openings, fueled by growing middle classes and retailer expansion.

According to the most recent research by CBRE, which measured shopping center development activity in 180 of the world’s major cities – including 2011 completions and space currently under construction – 318.6 million sq. ft. is currently under construction and about 84 million sq. ft. opened in 2011.

Merrimack, N.H. -- Indianapolis-based Simon Property Group said Thursday that it has opened Merrimack Premium Outlets, an upscale outlet shopping center serving the Greater Boston and Nashua markets.

Neil Ringel was named EVP at Staples Advantage, the office products company announced Thursday.

Ringel previously served as SVP of the Staples Advantage, the business-to-business division of the company focused on serving organizations with more than 20 employees. He joined Staples in 1995 and helped launched the Advantage group. He will replaced Jay Baitler who is retiring after 17 years of leading Staples Advantage. Ringel will report to Joe Dody who serves as president of Staples North American Delivery division.

New Orleans -- Costco Wholesale Corp. will enter the state of Louisiana with a 148,000-sq.-ft. store at Carrollton Plaza Shopping Center in New Orleans.

The new lease, announced by center owner The Feil Organization, will add Costco to a lineup of retailers that includes CVS, Firestone, Family Dollar and Subway.

Costco is slated to open spring 2013.

Overall, this month saw gain in flyer distribution as well as the size of flyer. The largest push of this month came from Walmart with more than 100% increase in flyer drops this month as compared to same month last year. Walmart dropped almost three flyers per market as compared to none in the second week of May this year. Also, a 26-page flyer was dropped in the first week as compared to 12-page flyer previous year.

New York  -- Macy’s, Sephora, Michael Kors and Lancome were ranked as Facebook “geniuses” in the second annual L2 Facebook IQ Index, developed in partnership with Buddy Media, a social enterprise software firm.

WASHINGTON — After a surprisingly strong first quarter, consumers have slowed their spending in May, according to the latest report from the National Retail Federation. The NRF reported that May retail sales (excluding automobile, gas stations and restaurants) decreased 0.3%seasonally adjusted from April but increased 4.8% unadjusted year-over-year, marking 23 consecutive months of retail sales growth.

New York -- U.S. retail sales declined in April and May, pulled down by a sharp 2.2% drop in gas stations sales in both months, the Commerce Department said Wednesday.

But excluding volatile gas station sales, retail sales increased only modestly in May and dipped in April.

Total retail sales fell in April to $404.6 billion, slightly below March's record level of $406.2 billion and 21.6% higher than the recession low hit in March 2009.