HONG KONG: Investors are pushing the prices of new small flats in Hong Kong to fresh highs that are beyond the reach of first-time owner-occupiers.

Evidence that genuine end-users are being squeezed out was on display at two launches last month that saw the price of a 297 sq ft one-bedroom flat hit HK$5.19 million (RM2.01 million), and almost double that for a 467 sq ft flat.

KUALA LUMPUR: The last two floors of Taragon Kelana Commercial Centre are now open for sale.

"Launched in early 2010, the freehold property is now offering an attractive guaranteed rental return of seven per cent for 36 months for its last two floors of office suites," developer Blackstone Seven Sdn Bhd said in a statement on Thursday, June 2.

KUALA LUMPUR: Benalec Holdings Bhd on Wednesday, June 1 entered into two separate deals, one on land disposal while another on joint venture (JV) property development, with Melaka-based developer Vista Selesa Development Sdn Bhd.

KUALA LUMPUR: UDA Holdings Bhd's recent proposed divestment of prime land along Jalan Sultan Ismail will help strengthen the company's cash position and replenish its depleting landbank in the Klang Valley, said UDA chairman Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed.

KUALA LUMPUR: Tiong Nam Logistics Holdings Bhd's wholly-owned subsidiary Terminal Perintis Sdn Bhd (TPSB), has bought a 3.23-acre commercial land parcel in Puteri Harbour, Nusajaya.

The RM30.95 million sale and purchase agreement was signed with UEM Land Bhd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of UEM Land Holdings Bhd and the master developer of Nusajaya, on Wednesday, June 1.

SINGAPORE: The Sabana syariah-compliant industrial Real Estate Investment Trust (Sabana REIT) has been included in the Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI) Global Small-Cap Indices.

SINGAPORE: CapitaMalls Asia together with CapitaMall Trust Management Ltd and CapitaLand will develop commercial projects comprising a shopping mall and retail cum office premises with a total development cost of S$1.5 billion at Jurong Gateway.

CapitaMall Trust Management Ltd is also the manager of CapitaMall Trust.

KUALA LUMPUR: The first phase of Mah Sing Group Bhd's M City Jalan Ampang — comprising 180 semi-furnished units of designer SoHo suites — has seen 176 of its units, or 98%, taken up during its three-day launch starting May 27.

TOKYO: Office and luxury retail rents could dip in the aftermath of the East Japan Earthquake, while the industrial market could see a temporary increase in demand, according to CB Richard Ellis's (CBRE) special Asia Pacific Viewpoint on Japan.

KUALA LUMPUR: Bolton Bhd's The Wharf development in Taman Tasik Prima, Puchong won a Highly Commended Award in the mixed-use development category for Malaysia at the Asia Pacific Property Awards 2011 held in conjunction with Bloomberg TV.