_Economy and Finance

Classic Car Market on Bumpy Road - CNBC Owning a classic car is often a childhood dream and in May this year the highest price ever was reached at an auction for a classic car: 9 million euros ($12.2 million) for a 1957 Ferrari Testa Rossa. ...

Commercial investors may look to Worldwide Plaza as model October 23, 2009 12:10 PM Real estate investor Peter Duncan, who scored a deal on the 49-story Worldwide Plaza building in July, now has the chance to shape the New York commercial real estate market’s investment landscape. Duncan, who is president of George Comfort & Sons, purchased the property at 825 Eighth Avenue for $590 million, roughly a third of what Harry Macklowe paid for it in February 2007. The price means Duncan might be able to lease out the first 14 floors, which stand vacant as the second-largest empty space in the city, for as little as $30 or $40 per square foot, according to Robert Sammons, research director at Colliers ABR. Whereas Midtown office buildings have had a rough year — CB Richard Ellis Group reported that there have been no single leases in the area for more than 250,000 square feet — low prices may hasten leasing activity for the space in Duncan’s building formerly occupied by advertising f...

NYC Tower Buyers Wrestle Towering Vacancy Dilemma (Update1) By David M. Levitt - October 23, 2009 13:08 EDT Oct. 23 (Bloomberg) -- Real estate investor Peter Duncan, who negotiated the nation’s biggest property deal of the year in buying Manhattan’s Worldwide Plaza, is now in charge of a skyscraper that’s 40 percent empty. http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aJG1.l7fPiik

Property Frankfurt: Grounds for optimism in spite of upheaval By James Wilson in Frankfurt Published: October 2 2009 16:02 | Last updated: October 2 2009 16:02 Frankfurt’s property market professionals are surprisingly optimistic about the city’s prospects in spite of the inevitable upheaval that the deep banking crisis has caused in Germany’s financial capital. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/c0b8a95a-ad13-11de-9caf-00144feabdc0.html#axzz2PXw36Vqx

http://www.realert.com/ranks.php Fund-Performance Scorecard for Third Quarter HIGH-YIELD DEBT FUNDS

Executive Interview with Chris LaBianca September 17th, 2009 | Author: Dave Jacobs Christopher LaBianca President RCG Longview Christopher LaBianca joined the RCG Longview series of Real Estate Debt Funds in April of 2008 and serves as the President of their current high yield debt fund RCG Longview Debt Fund IV, L.P. His responsibilities include oversight of the origination, underwriting, closing, servicing and asset management of all fund investments. Since the inception of RCG Longview Debt Fund Series in 1999, the managers, Peter Cohen and Michael Boxer (Ramius Capital Group, LLC),Jeffrey Feil and Jay Anderson (The Feil Organization), Morton Olshan (Mall Properties), and Jon Estreich (Estreich & Company), have originated more than $1.8 billion in real estate mezzanine debt and other related instruments through RCG Longview fund vehicles. The investment strategy of the funds is driven by the collective experience of the managers as owners and operators of real estate. R...

Hard Times in Office Space Conversation over lunch at Nocello with William E. Hartman, Executive Vice President, Cushman & Wakefield BY ALEXEI BAYER September 1, 2009 Who: William E. Hartman, Executive Vice President, Cushman & Wakefield Where: Nocello, 257 West 55th Street, New York City, July 27, 2009 On the Menu: Gnocchi, salmon and real estate travails Nocello, a midtown Italian restaurant I reserved for a lunch interview with Cushman & Wakefield's William Hartman, happens to face a long blue construction fence stretching the entire length of a city block. Behind the fence, the foundation of another huge Manhattan skyscraper looks nearly complete. http://www.advisorone.com/2009/09/01/hard-times-in-office-space

Emerging Markets: Out of Recession BRICs Emerging From Recession - CNBC.com Some emerging markets have rebounded strongly. Goldman's Jim O'Neill talks about when it's time to get in.

Investments That Wear Well Over Time - CNBC Leave it to Hollywood to give used clothes cache. Once considered taboo to wear previously owned frocks, the red carpet is now crawling with A-list celebrities—Penelope Cruz, Kirsten Dunst, Kate Moss and Sarah Jessica Parker—sporting vintage gowns, handbags and even accessories. ...

Coins: Precious Metals, Rare Mints And Tales of Intrigue - CNBC Stockpiling coins is no longer just for the collector, nowadays even the average investor can find profits in pennies. Well, maybe not pennies, but some coins are worth their weight in gold, literally. ...

Variety Can Bring Vitality For Your Portfolio - CNBC In a market characterized by manic mood swings, it’s hard to stomach the notion of adding alternative asset classes—which can be very volatile—to your portfolio. ...

Investors' Guide to Fine Wine - CNBC If your traditional portfolio has left a bad taste in your mouth, you may want to consider a more flavorful investment. ...

Music To The Ears Of Investors - CNBC Hardcore collectors spend hour upon hour at estate sales, crawl through dank, dirty basements and crawl spaces in search of that rare gem among the rubbish, hoping to make the one find that will net tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars. You could understand such behavior if they were looking for diamonds or gold. But vinyl? ...

Vintage Cars: Wheels of Fortune or Road To Ruin? - CNBC Looking for a way to justify blowing $100,000 on a red 1967 435-hp Corvette with special three-deuce holly? Say it's an investment. "With 20-20 hindsight, if I had known eighteen months ago that my 401(k) was going down the toilet, I would have taken that money and invested in vintage cars," says David Schultz, a board member at the Classic Car Club of America. ...

Putting Your Stamp On A Collection - CNBC While tangible investments have their charms in times of market turmoil like today, investors thinking of hedging their portfolios with collectible stamps might just find themselves getting licked. ...

Real Estate: Real Money And Real Problems - CNBC The last property Giovanni Isaksen bought to fix up and resell was a “nice house in a nice neighborhood.” An independent real estate investor in the Seattle area, Isaksen and his partner figured they could sell the house for about $850,000, so they budgeted for renovation accordingly. ...

Precious Metals: Heavy Metal Jacket For Defensive Investors - CNBC Given the uncertain economic climate, is gold a sound investment? “Gold has a place in almost every investment portfolio as a hedge or safety mechanism,” says Burton Rothberg, Ph.D., a former senior trader with Commodities Corporation, who has invested in the gold markets for decades. ...

Memorabilia: Eight Rules To Remember About Memorabilia - CNBC Some love Mickey—Mouse that is. Others worship Mickey—as in Mantle. But to make a profit off of your passion, you have to know what you’re doing. ...

Antiques Can Make Your Portfolio Young Again - CNBC Though things may be looking up for the stock market, the next time the Dow Industrials drop 500 points, you may want to consider pulling funds out of the market and putting them in your bed. ...

Here's Looking At Handsome Returns - CNBC If you’d added a few paintings to your portfolio over the last few years, instead of all those Lehman Brothers [LEHMQ], AIG [AIG] and Citigroup [C] shares, your retirement nest egg might be looking a little different right now. ...

Alternative Investments: Where, What, When - CNBC Whether it's a rare bottle of Bordeaux or a 1931 Bentley, chances are your stock broker isn't going to be able to help you get your hands on either. So where does an investor look to break into alternative investing? ... Alternative Investing | A CNBC Special Report

Carrington Mortgage not following the Rules Posted by US Loan Auditors in Mortgage Crisis on 08 28th, 2009 | Carrington Mortgage is a prime example of how some mortgage companies are benefiting from loan modifications. The lending industry has provided relief to at least four million homeowners over the last two years according the federal government, however not all loan modifications are equal.

The best and worst deals The 15 biggest winners and losers since the crunch August 01, 2009 By Sarah Ryley Next month will mark the one-year anniversary of the fall of Lehman Brothers — a date often referred to in “pre-” and “post-” terms in the New York City real estate market. With that in mind, The Real Deal zeroed in on the 15 best and worst deals since Wall Street’s collapse and the earlier onset of the credit crunch. http://therealdeal.com/issues_articles/the-best-and-worst-deals/

Italy: Western Europe’s Least Welcoming Retail Market? Written by Euromonitor Italy's international reputation is built on sleek, chic design from fashion and furniture to cars, but despite its expensive image foreign retailers have been failing to strike it rich. http://www.marketresearchworld.net/content/view/2685/77/

$600M Worldwide Plaza sale approved July 07, 2009 12:32PM http://therealdeal.com/blog/2009/07/07/george-comfort-completes-worldwide-plaza-deal-deutshce-bank-rcg-longview-macklowe-properties/ After the last deal fell apart, George Comfort & Sons and RCG Longview finally completed a $600 million deal with Deutsche Bank to purchase Worldwide Plaza. Rather than creating a joint venture, Deutsche Bank will just provide a $470 million mortgage for George Comfort and put up about $135 million in equity. The price comes to about $375 a square foot for the 1.6 million-square-foot tower at 825 Eighth Avenue, and the deal is expected to close later this month. As part of the agreement, Deutsche Bank will write down the original $1 billion mortgage it held on the property when Macklowe Properties bought the building in 2007. http://therealdeal.com/blog/2009/07/07/george-comfort-completes-worldwide-plaza-deal-deutshce-bank-rcg-longview-macklowe-properties/

http://geology.com/usgs/uses-of-copper/ Facts About Copper Copper Uses, Resources, Supply, Demand and Production Information Republished from a USGS Fact Sheet from June, 2009 Copper - A Metal Used Through The Ages Copper was one of the first metals ever extracted and used by humans, and it has made vital contributions to sustaining and improving society since the dawn of civilization. Copper was first used in coins and ornaments starting about 8000 B.C., and at about 5500 B.C., copper tools helped civilization emerge from the Stone Age. The discovery that copper alloyed with tin produces bronze marked the beginning of the Bronze Age at about 3000 B.C.

George Comfort blames Deutsche Bank for botched Worldwide Plaza deal June 24, 2009 02:58PM http://therealdeal.com/blog/2009/06/24/george-comfort-blames-deutsche-bank-botched-worldwide-plaza-deal-harry-macklowe-rcg-longview-peter-duncan/ George Comfort & Sons President Peter Duncan blamed lender Deutsche Bank for the breakdown in a deal to buy the former Macklowe Properties Worldwide Plaza west of Times Square. The real estate firm and investment partner RCG Longview were “disappointed that the seller, Deutsche Bank AG, has decided not to honor the contract,” Duncan said in a statement. The companies were in contract to purchase the 1.8 million-square-foot office tower at 825 Eighth Avenue between 49th and 50th streets after the bank took it back from Macklowe Properties. Duncan held out hope the deal could still be finalized. “We have an executed sales contract, a significant hard deposit in place, and even a closing date of June 30th from the seller’s attorneys. We are ready ...

Worldwide Plaza deal in trouble June 23, 2009 02:00 PM Real estate sources say a deal to sell Worldwide Plaza — one of the seven office towers Harry Macklowe was forced to return to his lenders — has fallen apart. This is the second time a deal to sell the building has fallen through, and both instances involved George Comfort & Sons as the buyer. In the latest transaction to break down, George Comfort and real estate investment firm RCG Longview struck a deal to purchase the 47-story tower for an undisclosed sum earlier this month. Deutsche Bank, which controls the building, would have retained a stake and provided financing for the deal. Sources say Deutsche Bank killed the transaction. According to the Wall Street Journal, the building is on the market again. http://therealdeal.com/blog/2009/06/23/worldwide-plaza-deal-in-trouble/

COMFORT SCORES WORLDWIDE DEAL By LOIS WEISS Last Updated: 5:31 PM, June 10, 2009 Posted: 2:17 AM, June 5, 2009 In what will be the city's largest office transaction this year, Worldwide Plaza is in contract to be sold to a joint venture led by George Comfort & Sons that includes RCG Longview and the building's lender, Deutsche Bank. http://www.nypost.com/p/news/business/item_mgaWEstKJCzUgj9xAJSbdO

http://www.rreef.com/ Global Commercial Real Estate Debt: Deleveraging into Distress Executive Summary The quantity of distressed commercial real estate (CRE) will continue to increase globally as the deleveraging process unfolds over the coming years. Implosion of the global financing market coupled with the economic recession has increased stress on both properties and their owners. Seizure of the commercial mortgage backed securities (CMBS) market is increasing the demand of properties needing to refinance but the dislocated financing market is limiting the supply of new loans available.

Worldwide Plaza for sale May 27, 2009 09:00 AM Worldwide Plaza, the last piece of Macklowe Properties’ portfolio, is for sale. The lender in control of the 1.7 million-square-foot building, Deutsche Bank, wants to retain an ownership stake, but is also prepared to write down the current $1.02 billion in outstanding principal to an $800 million mortgage. The buyer of the building at 825 Eighth Avenue, at 50th Street, is expected to contribute $200 million in equity, and the deal would be valued between $300 and $350 per foot. The leading potential buyer, according to the Post, is George Comfort & Sons. According to CoStar Group, 639,540 square feet is available in the building. http://therealdeal.com/blog/2009/05/27/worldwide-plaza-for-sale-macklowe-deutsche-bank/

IGD Siiq opens new mall in Catania Date: 4 May 2009 Category: City Watch Italy's IGD Siiq said on Monday that its Katanè shopping centre will open its doors on Tuesday in the Sicilian city of Gravina, near Catania. The mall, with a total of 15,000 m2, houses 70 stores and six larger shops and an 8,000 m2 hypermarket owned by Ipercoop Sicilia. IGD invested a total of EUR 59 mln in the project. The mall is fully rented. http://www.propertyeu.info/index-newsletter/igd-siiq-opens-new-mall-in-catania/

http://www.dividendgrowthinvestor.com/2009/03/master-limited-partnerships-mlps-island.html Master Limited Partnerships (MLPs) – an island of stability for dividend investors Master Limited Partnerships are limited by US Code to only apply to enterprises that engage in certain businesses, mostly pertaining to the use of natural resources, such as petroleum and natural gas extraction and transportation. They combine the tax advantages of a partnership and higher dividend yields with the day to day tradability of common stocks.

RCG Longview Remains Positive, Closes Fourth Debt Fund at $602M Posted by CREOPoint Managing Editor on February 10, 2009 at 12:27 pm Commercial Property News Feb 10, 2009 By: Barbra Murray, Contributing Editor The list of real estate debt investors daunted by the frosty lending climate is a long one, but New York City-based RCG Longview is not one of them. The real estate opportunity manager has closed RCG Longview Debt Fund IV L.P., having raised $602.5 million in equity. Like the previous three investment vehicles, Fund IV will target a variety of real estate transactions ranging from bridge loans and mezzanine loans to bridge mortgages and preferred equity opportunities across the country. http://www.creopoint.com/forum/topics/rcg-longview-remains-positive

Purely financial capitalism has perverted the logic of capitalism, Financial capitalism is a system of irresponsibility and ... is amoral. It is a system where the logic of the market excuses everything. - Nicolas Sarkozy , French President, At the Symposium "New World, New Capitalism," Paris, Jan. 9, 2009