Property market in Central London, Michael Marx

Such low yields could signal the top of the property market in central London. Those sorts of yields are breathtaking. The problem is that when you get to the top of Mount Everest there is only way to go.

- Michael Marx, Reuters, Jul 26, 2013

Ultra-low yields suggest London property crash around the corner

Ultra-low yields suggest London property crash around the corner

By Tom Bill
LONDON | Fri Jul 26, 2013 4:56pm BST

(Reuters) - Voracious investor demand for the best London real estate is approaching record levels that could trigger a price crash in popular areas such as upmarket Bond Street, property experts said this week.

United States, Jason Zweig

Here Comes the Next Hot Emerging Market: It is called "the United States."

- Jason Zweig, Wall Street Journal, Jul 24, 2013

Italy May Retail Sales Almost Flat on Month, -1.1% on Year

July 24, 2013
Italy May Retail Sales Almost Flat on Month, -1.1% on Year

By Manuela Mesco

ROME--Italy's retail sales in May increased by 0.1%, compared with April, national statistics institute Istat said Wednesday.

http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20130724-702696.html

Brookfield Asset Management Raises $4.4 Billion for Real estate Fund Surpassing Target

http://www.realtytoday.com/articles/4593/20130724/brookfield-asset-management-raises-4-billion-real-estate-fund-surpassing.htm

Posted by Rapti Gupta on Jul 24, 2013 09:47 AM EDT
Brookfield Asset Management Raises $4.4 Billion for Real estate Fund Surpassing Target

Brookfield Asset Management Inc, the Canadian asset managing firm, has reportedly raised $4.4 billion for its global real estate fund. The amount is one of the largest since the financial crisis and has surpassed the $3.5 billion target, the company actually affixed, according to several media reports.

Atlanta's CRE debt woes improving

Jul 23, 2013, 2:22pm EDT
Atlanta's CRE debt woes improving

Douglas Sams
Commercial Real Estate Editor-
Atlanta Business Chronicle

Atlanta’s commercial real estate sector continues digging out of debt, another sign a broad recovery is speeding up.

http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/real_talk/2013/07/atlantas-cre-debt-woes-improving.html

Investors, Analysts See End of Commodity 'Supercycle'

July 22, 2013, 12:46 a.m. ET
Investors, Analysts See End of Commodity 'Supercycle'
Popular Bet in Global Financial Markets—That Prices Would Keep Rising—Is Unraveling

Investors are suffering mounting losses as a decadelong rise in commodity prices unravels amid slowing emerging-markets economies, rising supplies of oil and metals and the eventual end of central-bank stimulus policies that propped up prices for raw materials.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324144304578619672666497416.html

Eco Analysis - UK economy on track for a firm Q2 (M. Martinez)

July 18, 2013

Eco Analysis - UK economy on track for a firm Q2 (M. Martinez)

In the UK, retail sales increased in June and are now up 0.9% qoq in Q2. This bodes well for Q2 GDP number to be released next week. (SG: 0.6% qoq). Signs that a cyclical recovery is ongoing have become clear in the UK, in contrast to the euro area. In France, FM Moscovici announced that the Livret A rate will be cut to 1.25% from 1.75% from 1 August. In Greece, the parliament approved the bill that clears the way for the release of the remaining IMF/ESM fund tranche

Foreign investors behind record 82% of London property activity

July 17, 2013 5:30 pm
Foreign investors behind record 82% of London property activity
By Ed Hammond, Property Correspondent

The attraction of London property to foreign investors shows no signs of waning as a surge of Asian and Middle Eastern money ensured that UK buyers accounted for less than a fifth of all commercial purchases during the first half of the year.

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/dcc2032a-eed3-11e2-98dd-00144feabdc0.html#ixzz2d4ppweSX

Cornerstone plans property debt fund

Cornerstone plans property debt fund
Sarah Krouse
15 Jul 2013

Cornerstone Real Estate Advisers, a subsidiary of Massachusetts Mutual that entered the UK real estate debt market in 2012, plans to raise third-party capital for further investments in the sector next year.

http://www.efinancialnews.com/story/2013-07-15/cornerstone-real-estate-plans-uk-property-debt-fund?ea9c8a2de0ee111045601ab04d673622

AllianceBernstein's Real Estate Group Expands Platform with New Commercial Real Estate Debt Fund

AllianceBernstein's Real Estate Group Expands Platform with New Commercial Real Estate Debt Fund
Industry Veteran Roger Cozzi Joins Firm to Lead CRE Debt Group

NEW YORK, July 12, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- AllianceBernstein L.P. (AllianceBernstein) announced today that it has successfully launched its first commercial real estate debt fund (the "Fund") as part of the firm's ongoing efforts to broaden its alternative investment offerings.

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/alliancebernsteins-real-estate-group-expands-platform-with-new-commercial-real-estate-debt-fund-215282911.html

News analysis: Backing the debt fund to win

Real Estate News
News analysis: Backing the debt fund to win
12 July 2013

Opinion is divided over the potential for real estate debt funds becoming an established institutional asset class in Europe, writes Richard Lowe.

EUROPE – Real estate investment managers continue to bet on the prospects for real estate debt funds despite some scepticism over whether they really constitute a viable business plan.

http://www.ipe.com/realestate/news-analysis-backing-the-debt-fund-to-win_54354.php

2013 | Q2 San Francisco Office Report

http://www.colliers.com/en-us/sanfrancisco/insights

2013 | Q2 San Francisco Office Report >>

Shaking off a sluggish first quarter the San Francisco Bay Area finished off the first half of 2013 with healthy leasing and rent growth. San Francisco remains ahead of the burgeoning global economy as job growth and leading-edge productivity due to technology have benefitted the office market. The second quarter registered the twelfth consecutive quarter of positive net absorption ,and vacancy is now below the 10 percent "tipping point" citywide for the first time since 2007. Moreover, the rise of the city’s employment and leasing volume over the last 24 months have pushed forward the construction of 3.4 million square feet of new and rehabilitated office development, with anticipation of additional projects breaking ground.

http://www.colliers.com/en-us/sanfrancisco/insights

Eco Analysis - Mixed UK data but Q2 still looks strong (B. Hilliard)

Eco Analysis - Mixed UK data but Q2 still looks strong (B. Hilliard)

The UK data released today show the housing market revving up in response to the government's Help to Buy scheme. UK manufacturing output surprised with a sharp fall but Q2 GDP still looks on track for a strong gain of around 0.5% qoq.

Enter Sandman?

Enter Sandman?

Julia Coronado - Market Economics
US Daily Spotlight | 09 Jul 2013 00:06 |

Markets settled down a little on Monday with Treasuries yields retracing nearly half their Friday spike and equities posting another modest gain closing just under 2% below their peak on May 21, the day before Chairman Bernanke effectively endorsed tapering. With little data to digest investors are looking to a series of bond auctions and a speech from Chairman Bernanke on Wednesday afternoon to set the tone. Bernanke will speak at a conference sponsored by the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) titled “The First 100 Years of the Federal Reserve: The Policy Record, Lessons Learned, and Prospects for the Future”. There is no title listed on the conference agenda but Chairman Bernanke closes the conference after four academic papers on political influences on Fed policy, international influences, appropriate design of a central bank, and the Fed’s track record on regulation. The lunch will feature a talk by Paul Volcker moderated by Martin Feldstein. The Federal Reserve Board has confirmed there will be a prepared text for the Chairman’s talk and he will take audience questions.

Germany: Only a small minus for manufacturing in May

Economic Briefing
Germany: Only a small minus for manufacturing in May

In May, German industry cut production by 1% on the previous month. But since output had increased significantly in the two preceding months, the average over April and May was nearly 3% up on the first quarter, which leads us to expect a very large gain in GDP. However, this momentum is unlikely to continue in the third quarter.

Commerzbank Corporates & Markets
Economic Research
https://research.commerzbank.com

British Land Invests £470 million in Paddington Central

British Land Invests £470 million in Paddington Central
Attractive West End Estate with Development Potential

British Land is pleased to announce that it has acquired assets comprising the majority of Paddington Central, a 1.2 million sq ft office-led, mixed use estate close to Paddington station in London’s West End. The investment offers an attractive blend of income and capital return, with major development potential and significant future opportunity to improve the estate through asset management. On completion of the developments, British Land will own 1.0 million sq ft of a 1.6 million sq ft estate.

http://www.britishland.com/media/news/2013/05-07-2013.aspx

Greed, Michael Douglas as Gordon Gekko from Wall Street (1987)

Lunch? Lunch is for wimps.

- Michael Douglas as Gordon Gekko from Wall Street (1987)