DUBAI (Feb 9): Qatar's ambitious economic policies have sustained double-digit growth rates while much of the world has struggled over the past few years. But the gas-rich Gulf state may now be overreaching, as a building boom threatens a glut in its property market.

HONG KONG (Feb 9): Shares of China Overseas Grand Oceans Group Ltd (COGO) rose nearly 14% to the highest in five months after the Chinese real estate developer said on Thursday that it expects a significant increase in net profit for 2011.

SYDNEY (Feb 9): Australian property trust Stockland Group is interested in buying all or part of the retirement assets of FKP Property Group, although a deal has to be earnings accretive, Stockland managing director Matthew Quinn said on Thursday.

HONG KONG (Feb 9): China home builders Longfor Properties Co Ltd and KWG Property Holding Ltd found investor favour on Thursday despite reporting hefty declines in January sales, as investors moved into Chinese property stocks amid easier borrowing conditions for China home buyers.

KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 9): Malaysian Resources Corp Bhd's (MRCB) net profit for 4QFY11 ended Dec 31 fell to RM26.12 million, or 1.88 sen a share, from RM41.5 million in the same period last year.

KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 9): The Employees Provident Fund (EPF) will lend an initial RM300 million to the government for the proposed sale of public housing, with such loans being made on commercial terms and with appropriate security to protect the interests of its members, said the provident fund.

S P Setia Bhd (Feb 8, RM3.95)
Maintain trading buy with target price RM4.30: In The Edge weekly's cover story interview, CEO Tan Sri Liew Kee Sin explained the rationale for his joint takeover of S P Setia with major shareholder Permodalan Nasional Bhd (PNB) and emphasised the need to move forward.

HUA HIN (Feb 8): Hotel de la Paix Am Beach Hua Hin, a contemporary lifestyle resort in Thailand was awarded a Gold Circle Award after being voted by travellers as one of the top 25 trendiest resorts in the country on the online travel site Trip Advisor.

LABU (Feb 8): AkzoNobel ended 2011 by launching a Dulux SHE@School, a Health, Safety and Environmental programme for Primary School community at Sekolah Kebangsaan Labu Batu 10, in Seremban, Negeri Sembilan.

KUANTAN (Feb 8): The Pahang government has spent RM3.37mil allocation from Tourism Ministry to repair and upgrade facilities at Teluk Chempedak beach here.