U.S. Stock Futures Slip as Markets Brace for Big Tech Earnings and Key Data 
Oracle Plans $45–$50 Billion Funding Push in 2026 to Expand Cloud and AI Infrastructure 
China Factory Activity Slips in January as Weak Demand Weighs on Growth Outlook 
IMF Forecasts Global Inflation Decline as Growth Remains Resilient 
China Home Prices Rise in January as Government Signals Stronger Support for Property Market 
Apple Faces Margin Pressure as Memory Chip Prices Surge Amid AI Boom 
SpaceX Seeks FCC Approval for Massive Solar-Powered Satellite Network to Support AI Data Centers 
Starmer’s China Visit Highlights Western Balancing Act Amid U.S.-China Rivalry 
Asian Markets Slide as Silver Volatility, Earnings Season, and Central Bank Meetings Rattle Investors 
Philippines Manufacturing PMI Hits Nine-Month High Despite Weak Confidence Outlook 
Gold Prices Stabilize in Asian Trade After Sharp Weekly Losses Amid Fed Uncertainty 
Gold and Silver Prices Plunge as Trump Taps Kevin Warsh for Fed Chair 
American Airlines Plans Return to Venezuela Flights After U.S. Lifts Ban 
Nvidia Confirms Major OpenAI Investment Amid AI Funding Race 
EU Recovery Fund Faces Bottlenecks Despite Driving Digital and Green Projects 
SpaceX Updates Starlink Privacy Policy to Allow AI Training as xAI Merger Talks and IPO Loom 
Bob Iger Plans Early Exit as Disney Board Prepares CEO Succession Vote 
JD Sports, the leading trainer and sports fashion retailer in the United Kingdom, has sold shares of its premium fashion brands to the Frasers Group. The sale will add Liam Gallagher’s fashion label, Pretty Green, to the roster of Mike Ashley’s retail business.
According to Reuters, JD Sports agreed to sell 15 of its brands to the Frasers Group for £47.5 million or about $57.7 million. The deal was revealed by the British retail firm late last week.
The acquisition will expand JD Sports’ line of prime fashion brands as it continues to push more into the premium market. Frasers was formerly known as Sports Direct, and in addition to Pretty Green, it already acquired shares in more than 10 labels, including Topgrade Sportswear and Cricket.
The retailer confirmed it had unloaded 15 of its businesses to the Frasers Group. The sale comes as many British retailers started to struggle due to the consumers’ low spending on non-essentials amid the soaring inflation and worsening crisis in the cost of living.
"We are pleased to have agreed to the sale of these attractive, but non-core, brands," JD Sports’ chief executive officer, Régis Schultz, said in a statement. He added that the sale would allow the company to focus more on the global and digital expansion of its main sports fashion brands.
The Guardian further quoted the company as saying, “JD is rightly recognized for its laser focus on the customer, and we are convinced that the most significant opportunities lie in the continued international development of the Group’s global sports fashion businesses.”
Frasers Group will be funding the acquisition deal with JD Sports through its existing cash resources. It was noted that the company has been splurging on acquisitions lately and had increased its maximum exposure to Hugo Boss German fashion house, to £875 million or $980 million. It has also bought a five percent stake in ASOS fashion retailer.
Finally, JD Sports shared that the negotiations for eight of the businesses were all closed at once, while the remaining seven are expected to be completed early next year.
Photo by: Samuel Regan-Asante/Unsplash
