LONDON-Learn the new retail markets and strategies presented by 326 of the top retailers in more than 200 cities.

CHICAGO-According to a first quarter US Equities Realty report, office vacancy dropped to about 14% in the first quarter for downtown, and 20.5% for the suburbs.

MINNEAPOLIS-CEO Paul Kirwin tells GlobeSt.com that Northcott Hospitality will improve TVs, beds and décor at the firm’s 260 properties, as customers want rooms that feel like home.

CHICAGO-CME, which will lease back space and continue to own the east building in the complex, had hoped to get up to $210 million for the twin-tower CBOT.

MADISON, WI-After Apollo was pushed into raising its bid from $5 to $7.85 per share for the water park resort firm, KSL has said it will not submit another proposal for the local company.

WAUKESHA, WI-The company sold the first phase of the Shoppes at Fox River to Ramco-Gershenson. Opus is building up to 150,000 square feet of stores on the remaining 18 acres.

CHICAGO-Birger Christensen, WinCup and Niven all took more than 400,000 square feet in Chicagoland. Plus more Midwest news.

SANTA MONICA, CA-Bob Perlmutter, a managing partner at Evanston, IL-based Davis Street, has been hired by Macerich as an EVP. Davis Street's future is uncertain.