SYDNEY: Australia's office vacancy rate hit its highest level in five years in the six months to January and a significant rise in supply this year will likely keep the sector under pressure, the Australian Property Council said.

KUALA LUMPUR: The owners of 237 houses in the 5A and 5B phases of the Saujana Putra housing estate can move in to their homes after a year's delay as Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor (Syabas) has agreed to provide temporary water supply.

The delay was due to the failure of the developer providing the water supply.

KUALA LUMPUR: Listed Tower Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT), which leases office space in the Klang Valley, said its net trust income for its financial year ending Dec 31, 2009 rose to RM30.06 million from RM27.82 million in its previous financial year on the back of increased revenue to RM49.83 million from RM46.34 million.

KUALA LUMPUR: Main-board listed Equine Capital Bhd. saw its third quarter losses for its financial year ending March 31, 2010 narrow to RM8.2 million from a loss of RM22.66 million for the same period in the previous financial year. Losses narrowed on the back of decreased 3Q revenue of RM7.62 million from RM14.47 million in the same quarter a year earlier.

BEIJING: A major Chinese bank has raised mortgage rates in one of the first signs of how a government lending clampdown is rippling through the economy and could tame turbo-charged growth but spook investors, according to Reuters.

HONG KONG: Hong Kong-listed developer Hang Lung Properties aims to invest US$2 billion (RM6.8 billion) to US$3 billion over the next couple of years into China if it finds good opportunities in the country's commercial property sector, a top executive said.

KUALA LUMPUR: Analysts from two research houses – AMReasearch and OSK Research are maintaining their “buy” calls (AMResearch – RM1.23 fair value; OSK – RM1.29 target) on Hektar Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT), which derives its income from the retail sector because of dividend yields and prospects moving forward.

KOTA KINABALU: The Housing and Local Government Ministry has given two months to the developer of the 775-unit Bukit Padang People's Housing Project (PPR), near here, to resume work on the project.

Its deputy minister Datuk Seri Lajim Ukin said if the company failed to do so, the ministry might terminate the contract and appoint a new developer.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysia-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MGCC) has received overwhelming response from Malaysian construction companies to participate in Bauma 2010, the world's largest exhibition for the construction and mining industry.

KUALA LUMPUR: Island and Peninsular Sdn Bhd (I&P) saw its recent launch of Canting 2 Parcel B (pictured) at Alam Impian, Shah Alam fully sold in three hours on Jan 30.

The parcel, with a gross development value of RM24.2 million, comprises only 48 units of 2-storey and 2½-storey terraced houses.