During Hola's recent winter products launch, the Taiwanese home decoration retailer announced that it will start developing the Chinese mainland market via virtual channels, including TV, mail-order catalogs, and the Internet; and the company aims to have 60 stores in this marketplace by 2014.

The Sweden-headquartered furniture retailer Ikea has confirmed that it will open its second outlet in Beijing in Xihongmen, Daxing district.

According to statistics from the Chinese National Bureau of Statistics, the country's total retail sales increased by 14.8% in April 2009.

Home decoration retailer B&Q has opened a new generation flagship store in Shanghai, its first such flagship store in China since its introduction of a new retail model.

According to Che Jianxin, president and CEO of the Chinese home furnishing chain M Macalline, after an injection of USD1.5 billion capital from the U.S. private equity firm Warburg Pincus, the company is currently implementing its phased listing plan and it is expected to be listed on China's A-share market in 2010.

Ikea China's vice president for real estate purchasing Gao Feng and the vice governor of Hangzhou's Binjiang District Yu Xiao'an have signed a investment letter of intent for a new Ikea store in Binjiang District, Hangzhou.