Mall vacancies hit six-year high

Data released this week by real estate research firm Reis show malls haven’t been this empty in nearly six years.

The data show the vacancy rates at U.S. metro and regional malls was 8.6 percent last quarter, the highest rate since the end of 2012.

"We were over-retailed," said Barbara Denham, a senior economist at Reis. "The recession knocked a lot of stores out of business.”

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