Romania is positioning itself as a key retail market in Central and Eastern Europe, with developers shifting focus from large cities to smaller communities, according to a Colliers report. While large cities previously concentrated three quarters of modern retail stock, rising incomes and demand for modern formats are making communities of around 50,000 inhabitants attractive for new investment, with retail parks driving development.

The real estate fund Reico, part of the Austrian group Erste, is acquiring the Palladium Prague shopping centre. The Office for the Protection of Economic Competition has been assessing the transaction, reports E15.cz.

Foreign direct investments (FDI) in Romania's real estate and construction sector more than tripled between 2014 and 2024, increasing by €15.1 billion to reach €21.6 billion by the end of last year. The sector's share of total FDI stock rose from 10.6% to 17.3%, according to National Bank of Romania (BNR) data analyzed by Cushman & Wakefield Echinox.

Českomoravská Nemovitostní has announced a new tenant in the Churchill II office building in Prague city centre.  Next.Move is opening its branch there at the beginning of 2026.

Nhood Romania has announced a partnership with Reuben Brothers to transform the former Solventul industrial platform in Timisoara. The 45-hectare site, with a history dating back to 1869, will be converted into a primarily residential area with integrated retail, office, service, and public amenities.

Mendota Invest, member of the OTP Group and investor behind the Emonika development in Ljubljana, has signed a contract with Strabag for the execution of the southern section of the project. The southern part of Emonika with a contract value of €134 million will feature a 100-metre-high office tower, a shopping centre, a hotel and four levels of underground parking.

Overall construction output in Serbia is expected to decline this year, primarily due to the slowdown in civil engineering as several road and railway projects were completed last year. By contrast, non-residential construction has entered a new growth cycle driven by investments connected to hosting Expo 2027 in Belgrade.

Prague maintains its position among Europe's most expensive shopping destinations, ranking 16th with monthly rents of €220 per sqm, according to Colliers' latest survey on rental trends in prime shopping streets across the EMEA region.

Knihobot is expanding and moving into a new industrial space in Prague’s Hostivař. Savills has brokered the long-term lease, with Knihobot set to move in from January 2026.

Poland's retail park sector has experienced remarkable growth, with over 290 large retail parks now operating across the country, totalling 3.2 million sqm of space. This represents a 21% share of modern retail stock, double the share recorded in 2010, Avison Young Poland reports.