I’ve been visiting residential-housing exhibitions in second-tier Chinese cities recently. This one in Wuhan was kinda weird …

It's been a sobering quarter for luxury. Gucci sales fell 20%. Its parent, Kering, saw $9bn wiped off its market value. Swiss watch exports dipped 3.8%. Their connecting thread? A slowdown in demand from China bloomberg.com/news/articles/… with Shirley Zhao and Andy Hoffman

🛍️ Global Blue reckons 34,000 tourists swapped the UK for elsewhere in Europe due to the abolition of VAT refunds... But Office for Budget Responsibility estimates a £0.5bn benefit, even accounting for fewer visitors. So VAT ain't going away... More from Jennifer Creery 紀寳瑩 here: bloomberg.com/news/articles/…

Got small feet? Want to save some dollars? You may be tempted to buy kids' versions of popular sneakers to avoid full VAT or sales tax. But your feet could end up paying the price. Here's how bloomberg.com/news/newslette… via Bloomberg

Incredible name for a noodle shop, lol, based on being across from a FamilyMart

Tip for businesses: You can boost your market share by tempting customers with discount cake and pastries. Lidl's share of the UK market hit a record 8.1% after the German grocer dished out coupons for its baked items, according to Kantar bloomberg.com/news/articles/… via Bloomberg

So... in case you're interested, the best job in the world is up for grabs. Highly recommended. careers.bloomberg.com/job/detail/125…

Tesco is trying to trademark its new Clubcard logo - after losing a legal battle with Lidl over its previous one. Nice spot by Jennifer Creery 紀寳瑩. On Bloomberg UK now: bloomberg.com/news/articles/…

In the process of reporting this, I embarked on a graveyard tour of Tesco's old trade marks, including this cancelled number, filed circa 1995. Shame, I quite liked the grey (or is it moss green?)

Scoop: Accenture is planning to push back the bulk of its staff promotions by six months bloomberg.com/news/articles/…

Could you taste the difference between a Japanese wagyu steak and one from the supermarket? UK retailers are cashing on on the craze for affordable luxury, as Jennifer Creery 紀寳瑩 explains bloom.bg/3NYNHSZ

Scoop: Kering is lining up Cédric Charbit to be Yves Saint Laurent's new CEO, replacing Francesca Bellettini, according to people familiar with the matter bloomberg.com/news/articles/… with Angelina Rascouët

The front of the queue for the NSL47 sentencing. These people, all dressed in black, have been dubbed the “queuing gang”, allegedly paid to take up the few public seats available in court. All refused to answer my questions on why they’re there

#BREAKING: Hong Kong jails legal scholar Benny Tai for 10 years for subversion, the longest sentence handed out so far under the city's national security law. Tai and 44 others were earlier found guilty in Hong Kong's largest national security trial. More to follow.🧵

Sainsbury’s cuts 3,000 jobs, via Jennifer Creery 紀寳瑩 >>> bloomberg.com/news/articles/…

Scoop: Former Matalan boss Jo Whitfield will join the board of directors at Asda as the supermarket tries to bolster its retailing expertise. With Sabah Meddings

Exclusive: The UK Treasury held private talks with the Hong Kong government about stepping up financial services ties at the end of last year, just as Jimmy Lai was testifying and democracy activists were being jailed under China’s national security law. UK-HK discussions about

UK officials stepped up private talks to deepen financial services ties with Hong Kong, even as democracy advocates were being jailed in the city last year. Exclusive from Alex Wickham and Katherine Griffiths bloomberg.com/news/articles/… Bloomberg