CBRE

Utah and Idaho Drive Retail Growth for Target, Kroger

Population and housing growth in Utah and Idaho are driving retail expansion by major chains. Census and industry data show Idaho and Utah among the fastest-growing U.S. states by percentage, and ICSC reports strong 2024 retail sales and redevelopment spending in both states. National and regional retailers — including Target, Kroger-owned Smith’s and Fred Meyer, Walmart, Life Time and potential entrants like Buc-ee’s — are opening new stores, remodeling locations and increasing headcount. Factors cited include inbound migration from coastal cities, a growing tech presence (Micron’s planned expansion), and comparatively lower costs despite rising national construction fit-out prices. Retail brokers and company executives say they expect continued store builds across developing suburban areas in both states.

High energy costs threaten Europe’s AI race

Experts told CNBC that Europe’s soaring energy prices risk undermining the continent’s ambitions to compete with the U.S. and China in AI. AI requires large, power-hungry data centers, making compute investments highly sensitive to electricity costs; investors and hyperscalers are likely to site new projects where power is cheapest. Reports cited by CNBC show data centers now consume about 2% of global electricity and community pushback intensifies once facilities exceed 5% of national consumption. The piece highlights migration toward lower-cost regions (Nordics, parts of France), major hyperscaler investments in the Nordics, OpenAI pausing a UK project partly over energy costs, and research forecasting higher data‑center development costs across Europe in 2026.

10-Q Financial Filing Analysis for CBRE

AI Analysis of 10-Q for period 2026-03-31. Note: Management emphasized the successful scaling of its Building Operations segment and resilience in Advisory, whereas analysts may focus on the quality of earnings given that over half of the operating income was derived from a single real estate disposition gain.