Northern Ireland

Financial Markets: DJIA up 184 points, Nasdaq up 26, S&P 500 rose 18 points, and 10-year treasury yield up to 3.86%. Lodging stocks performed poorly despite overall market gains. JP Morgan anticipates unimpressive 2Q23 RevPAR results and mixed net rooms growth in the lodging sector. They remain cautious due to tougher year-over-year comparisons and potential effects from tightening credit conditions. Several hotels are being developed or opened, including a 100-room hotel in Northeast Philadelphia, a Marriott Residence Inn in West Vail, and a Fairfield Inn & Suites in Conway, South Carolina. Some projects are facing challenges, like the halted construction of a Homewood Suites in Skokie, Illinois, due to high-interest rates.

Hilton and Marriott are expected to report strong 2Q23 results with international strength as a key driver. Various hotels in different regions are undergoing significant expansions, renovations, and acquisitions, with Hilton announcing a new property in Cancun and Scandic Hotels Group expanding its portfolio in Sweden . Accor is in exclusive negotiations to acquire a majority stake in Potel & Chabot, potentially becoming the sole shareholder of the company.