Starwood Capital Group Purchases Liberty Center in Pittsburgh

Starwood Capital Group Purchases Liberty Center in Pittsburgh
Transaction includes Federated Tower and the Westin Pittsburgh

GREENWICH, Conn., Aug. 2, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Starwood Capital Group, a leading global private investment firm focused on real estate, announced today that an entity controlled by Starwood Distressed Opportunity Fund IX has acquired Liberty Center, a prominent mixed-use office and hotel asset located in downtown Pittsburgh's "Golden Triangle." The property was acquired from a partnership that included Forest City Enterprises, Inc. and Jos. L. Muscarelle, Inc., for a gross selling price of $135 million.

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/starwood-capital-group-purchases-liberty-center-in-pittsburgh-218083091.html

A Simple Solution for America's Looming Commercial Debt Crisis

A Simple Solution for America's Looming Commercial Debt Crisis
By JASON GOLD
August 1, 2013

As the housing sector continues its apparent recovery, some U.S. lawmakers are turning their attention to a looming crisis in the commercial real estate market, which is threatened by an avalanche of debt as loans made during the heady days of the early aughts start coming due over the next five years.

http://www.usnews.com/opinion/blogs/economic-intelligence/2013/08/01/a-simple-solution-for-americas-looming-commercial-debt-crisis

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