Kuwait

San Francisco-based Gap Inc. signed deals to open Old Navy stores in six countries in the Middle East next year. Franchisees Fawaz A. Alhokair & Co. and Azadea will open the new stores beginning in the U.A.E., Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. Gap has had Gap and Banana Republic stores in the region since 2007. "Entering the Middle East is an important milestone in our strategy to share Old Navy with a broader, global customer base," said Robert Frank, executive vice president of Old Navy International, in a company statement. 

eBay is expanding its global shipping program (GSP) yet again, this time to nine additional countries, including some located in the Middle East and Southeast Asia. eBay is pushing sellers to use the GSP to make their items available to buyers in 44 countries — soon to be 53 — but without having to ship internationally. eBay will add the following nine countries to the GSP program beginning April 8: Saudi Arabia, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Croatia, Malaysia and Turkey. 

A report released by A.T. Kearney showed that Brazil is once again first among developing countries for global retail expansion. A.T. Kearney’s Global Consumer Institute’s 2012 Global Retail Development Index (GRDI) ranks the top 30 developing countries for global retail expansion. Brazil, which topped the list for the second year in a row, was followed by Chile, China, Uruguay and India. Botswana (No. 20) entered the GRDI ranking for the first time, signaling regional growth and the future of Africa as a significant consumer market.

As part of a steady international push ,Kate Spade New York announced that it intends to buy its Japanese joint venture partner, Sanei International, out of their 51 percent share in the jointly owned company, Kate Spade Japan. This is part of a robust international expansion,which includes recent store openings in the UK, Dubai, and Kuwait as well as further expansion into Brazil with additional store openings in Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo planned for this summer.

New York -- Kate Spade New York announced Thursday that it will buy its Japanese JV partner Sanei International’s 51% share in Kate Spade Japan. The move, said Kate Spade, is part of an aggressive international push that includes recent store openings in the United Kingdom, Dubai and Kuwait, as well as further expansion into Brazil with additional store openings in Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo planned for this summer. "Kate Spade New York has a long and successful history in the Asian market,” said Craig Leavitt, CEO, Kate Spade New York. “It is our strategy to build

CANTON, Mass., Feb. 29, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Casual Male Retail Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: "CMRG"), the largest retailer of big & tall men's apparel and accessories, today announced that its first DestinationXL® store in the Middle East will open this spring in Symphony Mall, Kuwait City, Kuwait under a franchise agreement between one of its subsidiaries and The Standard Arabian Business & Enterprises Company (SABECO). The franchise agreement governs the operation of the store and provides that within two years of the store's opening to the public, the Casual Male Retail Group, Inc. subsidiary has an option to purchase an