1. Retail M&A robust at 2022’s midpoint: As investors wring their hands over the possibility of an economic downturn, retail M&A is surprisingly robust — with about $29 billion in deal value transacted as we near 2022’s halfway marker, according to data provided by Refinitiv. – Read More on Axios

2. How Companies Should Invest in a Downturn: A recession is the best time to acquire resources for the forthcoming expansion, all while your competitors are cutting back. – Read More on HBR

3. Meta and co. form metaverse standards body, without Apple: Meta, Microsoft and other tech giants racing to build the emerging metaverse concept have formed a group to foster development of industry standards that would make their nascent digital worlds compatible with each other. – Read More on Reuters

4. How New E-Comm Technology Is Changing the Way We Shop Second-Hand: “Due to our e-commerce leg, not only are we selling to way more people all across the country and internationally, but our buying team gets to see what sells in real time.” – Read More on Vice

5. China Is Becoming the Biggest Challenge for Luxury Brands: Even in industries that seemed “safe” from local competitors like luxury cars, the sentiment among Gen Z has shifted towards local names at a similar or even higher level than the traditional German leaders in the premium and luxury category. – Read More on Jing