Retail Fought Its Way Back To Pre-Pandemic Normalcy. But Those Weren’t Exactly Great Times After a tough few years for retailers and the landlords who rent them space, some semblance of normalcy has returned to the market. Shoppers are shopping again and, at least for now, spending more at retailers despite inflation, supply chain woes and political tumult. With certain exceptions, the beating major mall owners took during the coronavirus crisis era is behind them. But none of that paves a clear path to a bright new post-pandemic future. The emergency might be over, but lingering pre-pandemic challenges for malls remain (such as online competition), combined with new macroeconomic problems (such as inflation). The mixed results for retail REITs during the first quarter of 2022, and investor reluctance to buy into the sector, reflect that uncertainty. 
“March retail sales show that consumers have maintained their ability to spend in the face of record-level inflation, supply chain issues and geopolitical unrest,” National Retail Federation President and CEO Matthew Shay said in an April statement.In March, retail spending was up 6.2% compared with a year ago,…  Read the full story here. | 
