According to insiders cited by Reuters on July 31, Blackstone Group is in preliminary talks to acquire real estate investment trust Retail Opportunity Investments Corp. (ROIC). The latter owns US shopping centers, and its market cap is currently close to $2 billion. In the past 12 months, ROIC's stock price has fallen more than 10%, lagging behind other real estate investment trust funds (REITs). Sources said the deal has not been finalized, and another bidder may emerge. After the news came out, ROIC's stock price rose more than 20% in Tuesday's afternoon trading. Owners of large shopping centers, chain pharmacies, and retail stores have successfully passed on the recent round of inflation to consumers, benefiting landlords like ROIC. In addition, the company has been increasing rents, with rent growth for new leases on the same area increasing by 12.4% in the second quarter.