BEIJING: China's property sector continued to gather strength in March, and strong sales and market sentiment suggest the upswing enjoys solid momentum.

Investment in real estate rose 35.1% in 1Q from a year earlier, faster than the 31.1% growth rate of the first two months, the National Bureau of Statistics said on Wednesday (April 14).

BEIJING: China is preparing to issue relatively restrictive rules governing insurance companies' investment in real estate, the official China Securities Journal reported on Wednesday (April 14).

The rules will not allow Chinese insurers to invest in residential housing or to invest directly in commercial property, the newspaper quoted an unnamed source as saying.

DUBAI: Dubai house prices and rents are set to fall 10% more in 2010 and not recover until 2012, as the resumption of some projects and completion of others weigh on an already-oversupplied market, according to a Reuters poll.

Dubai sent shockwaves through global markets late last year when it said it would request a standstill on billions of dollars of debt linked to Dubai World.

KUALA LUMPUR: Five Malaysian companies are in Milan, Italy, to take part in the world's leading furniture and fitting trade show, the Salone Internazionale del Mobile di Milano.

PUTRAJAYA: Eleven multi-purpose venues to be built in Presint 18 are expected to boost sports activities for youths in the area and encourage more international events to be organised.

Minister of Youth and Sports Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek said the venues to be built at a cost of RM3.45 million would be equipped with cafeteria, changing rooms, surau and roofed stage.

KUALA LUMPUR: OSK Holdings Bhd's real estate arm OSK Property Holdings Bhd plans to unveil some RM700 million  worth of properties in Malaysia this year, capitalising on the combined effects of still-accommodative lending  rates and anticipation of higher inflation to spur real estate sales.

KUALA LUMPUR: A RM2.461 billion allocation has been set aside under the Public Infrastructure Maintenance (PIA) programme for Class F bumiputra contractors, the Dewan Rakyat was told on April 14.

Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Chor Chee Heung said the allocation was made for implementation of projects under the PIA programme for five years.

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia Rating Corp Bhd (MARC) has withdrawn its rating of A-ID on OSK Property Holdings Bhd’s RM50 million Class B Serial Bai-Bithaman Ajil Islamic Debt Securities (Class B BaIDS) with immediate effect.

KUALA LUMPUR: Budding property developer KYM Holdings Bhd is seeking fresh opportunities in the Klang Valley, a crucial and timely move to expand real estate income contribution to 30% of the company’s revenue within two years.

Riding on recovery