Cost controls helped H&M to limit a drop in quarterly pretax profit but the fashion chain said it was increasing investments this year as it tries to keep pace with its larger rival, Zara owner Inditex.

Analyst Insight: Omnichannel customer expectations continue to drive complexity in inventory planning and management. Expectations for faster fulfillment and free shipping, coupled with pressure to minimize inventory carrying cost, are driving companies to rethink inventory strategies to profitably service customers and ensure inventory is deployed in the right quantities to the right place at exactly the right time. But omnichannel flows like ship-from-store and buy-online-pick-up in-store (BOPIS) are complicating things and creating a new threshold for inventory planning requirements. - George Swartz, vice president, Fortna Inc.

After more than two decades of bad blood and legal wrangling between states and the online giant, Amazon will collect sales tax in all states that have such a levy. Collection in Hawaii, Idaho, Maine, and New Mexico, the final four states where shoppers don't pay required tax through the site, will begin on April 1st.

Construction and design professionals will likely have an easier time finding and using sustainable building materials thanks to efforts from two flooring manufacturers: a new product catalog by Tarkett and new product-specific environmental product declarations (EPDs) from Gerflor USA.

Uber Technologies Inc. is suspending its self-driving car program after one of its autonomous vehicles was involved in a high-impact crash in Tempe, Arizona, the latest incident for a company reeling from multiple crises.

Walmart launched its own startup incubator program in Silicon Valley, with a keen eye on last-mile delivery, according to Mobility Buzz.