Sales volumes picking up
Keeping sector a NEUTRAL. Last week, housing sales saw improvements in most major cities with sales volume in 19 cities rising 6.9% wow or 46% as compared with the trough in May. Judging from developers’ presales schedules, we believe that sales will stay at high levels in the coming months.

SHANGHAI: The momentum of home buying has continued to rebound in Shanghai last week amidst diminishing effects from the central government's tightening policies.

BEIJING: China has unveiled plans to encourage low-end industries to relocate from coastal areas to inland provinces in an effort to accelerate industrial restructuring and the transformation of the nation's economic growth model towards industrialisation and urbanisation.

SEOUL: Moody's Investors Service said on Tuesday, Sept 7, that an expected surge in credit losses from a sluggish domestic housing market was unlikely to have material rating implications for most South Korean banks.

KUALA LUMPUR: The proposal to impose a 80% loan-to-value ratio (LVR) for mortgages will not dampen the property market in the long run, said Minister of Housing and Local Government Datuk Wira Chor Chee Heung.

Nevertheless, Chor said, there was a need for a certain structure to ensure it would not be a burden for the lower-income group to own a house.  

KUALA LUMPUR: MTD Capital Bhd stands to gain RM34.02 million for its 67.18 acres in Melaka which has been compulsorily acquired by the state government.

Under the acquisition, MTD will receive RM38.64 million for the land in which its original investment cost was RM4.62, based on RM1.58 per sq ft.

SINGAPORE: Wing Tai Holdings Ltd has introduced a 5-storey freehold luxury condominium, Belle Vue Residences, in the Orchard-Oaxley neighbourhood in District 9. The 176-unit development sits on a 248,000 sq ft site.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Klang Valley retail market has improved from the last two years with more positive and faster leasing rate, according to C B Richard Ellis' (CBRE) second quarter (2Q) Kuala Lumpur Retail Market View released this month.

BANGKOK: From its business district to leafy suburbs, new condominiums are sprouting almost daily across Bangkok, but developers and investors alike seem little concerned about a property bubble developing.

HONG KONG: The theory is simple: property prices are high in Hong Kong because land is scarce.