KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 23): Plenitude Bhd registered a higher pre-tax profit of RM34.244 million for the second quarter ended Dec 31, 2011, compared with RM33.993 million in the corresponding period in 2010.

Revenue, however, decreased to RM74.116 million from RM86.817 million, Plenitude said in a filing to Bursa Malaysia on Thursday.

KUCHING (Feb 23): The Sarawak Housing Ministry will discuss with Bank Negara (BNM) soon on allowing state government-linked companies to give loans to house buyers.

Its minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari said the move was to enable the people of Sarawak, especially the low-income earners, to own homes.

HONG KONG (Feb 23): Chinese property developer Shui On Land Ltd plans to seek a separate listing of its commercial property asset on the Hong Kong stock exchange, the Hong Kong Economic Journal reported on Thursday, citing a senior executive.

BEIJING (Feb 23): China's policy-induced property slowdown has put the central and local governments on a RMB2 trillion yuan (RM957.6 billion) collision course in one of the economy's biggest growth-generating sectors.

HONG KONG (Feb 23): Swiss investment bank UBS faces a tenfold rent increase in the world's most expensive city for office space, as the main lease on its Hong Kong offices nears its end.

The bank has enjoyed a sweetheart, 10-year lease on space in Two IFC in a deal struck when the city was staggering from one of its worst economic crises.

HONG KONG (Feb 23): Sales in the secondary and primary markets surged to their highest levels in more than a year last week after cuts to lending rates boosted sentiment and released pent up demand.

SHANGHAI (Feb 23): Easier access to credit for developers is unlikely to stop home prices on the mainland from falling, according to analysts.

Their comments follow the decision last week by the People's Bank of China (PBoC) to lower banks' reserve requirement ratios, which is the percentage of deposits they are obliged to keep on reserve, by 50 basis points.

HONG KONG (Feb 23): International property consultants expect to see a significant rise in revenues from their businesses throughout mainland China despite the clouded outlook for the country's residential market this year.

KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 23): Sentoria Group Bhd, the operator of Bukit Gambang Resort City (BGRC) in Kuantan, is targeting high-end visitors to its resort city by undertaking a RM735 million gross development value (GDV) project.

KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 23): Both IJM Corp Bhd and its unit IJM Plantations Bhd posted higher earnings for 3QFY12 ended Dec 31, 2011.

IJM Corp's 3QFY12 net profit rose 5.7% to RM135.2 million from RM127.9 million in the previous corresponding quarter to higher contribution from its construction, industry and plantation divisions.