KUALA LUMPUR:  More foreign small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are expected to set up offices in the country in the coming years as office supply increases.“Since 2009, the Malaysian economy has gradually moved towards 100% foreign ownership companies. [This is mainly because office] space is still relatively cheaper in Malaysia as compared with other neighbouring countries.

BEIJING: China’s real estate investment grew at a slower annual pace in the first four months of 2014, while sales continued to drop from a year ago, official data showed on Tuesday, adding to signs of cooling in the property market that is also dragging the broader economy.

THIS week, The Edge predicts that home prices in Singapore will fall in the second half of this year, as developers begin to cut prices to move their unsold units.Over the past 4 months, the take-up rate of fifty projects in Singapore, which have sold less than 50% in total, was less than 0.8% a month.

SINGAPORE: A consortium that includes Singapore tycoon Ong Beng Seng and Wheelock Properties (Singapore) Ltd has increased its offer price for a stake in Hotel Properties Ltd to S$4 (RM10.33) per share, valuing the company at around S$2.07 billion.

LONDON: British Land Co plc, developer of London’s “Cheesegrater” skyscraper, said it was starting to benefit from a long-awaited recovery in Britain’s commercial property markets, as it posted a 15% jump in full-year net asset value (NAV).

MANILA: Khazanah Nasional Bhd and global private investment firm TPG have agreed to buy US$132 million (RM428 million) worth of shares in 8990 Holdings Inc, the Philippine mass housing developer said yesterday.

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia Aica Bhd (Maica) expects “exponential” growth in both revenue and earnings over the next three to five years, driven by expansion in its property development, said executive chairman Datuk Ter Leong Yap.

KUALA LUMPUR: Glomac Bhd is foreseeing a challenging year ahead as the impact of Bank Negara Malaysia’s cooling measures sinks in curbing speculative demand.

KLCCP Stapled Group
(May 12, RM6.47)

Eco World Development Group Bhd
(May 12, RM4.68)
Initiating coverage with add call and target price of RM8.00: We initiate coverage on Eco World with an “add” call and implied target price of RM8  (ex-rights and warrants target basis of parity with revised net asset value). This provides investors 72% upside.