A new Global Credit Perspectives

A new Global Credit Perspectives by Mark Kiesel is available on pimco.com .

Key Points:

· An improving outlook for U.S. housing will be constructive for consumer spending, confidence and jobs.

· There are many ways to invest directly and indirectly in companies that should benefit from higher housing prices, a pickup in home repairs and remodeling, and residential investment spending.

· We continue to favor select investments in homebuilders, building materials, appliance manufacturers, lumber, home improvement, banks, title insurance, mortgage origination and servicing, and non-Agency mortgage-backed securities.

Looking to play the rental market? Blackstone wants you

http://www.cnbc.com/id/101276543

Looking to play the rental market? Blackstone wants you

Published: Monday, 16 Dec 2013 | 3:23 PM ET
By: Diana Olick | CNBC Real Estate Reporter

It is yet another step in the evolution of the single-family rental market: a new lending platform by one of the biggest names in the trade, Blackstone Group. After investing close to $7 billion in rental properties through its Invitation Homes unit, Blackstone is offering cash to smaller investors wanting to get into the game. The firm is in the closing process on the first deals.

AEO2014 EARLY RELEASE OVERVIEW

http://www.eia.gov/forecasts/aeo/er/index.cfm

Release Date: December 16, 2013 | Full Report Release Date: Early Spring 2014 | CORRECTION | Report Number: DOE/EIA-0383ER(2014)

This release is an abridged version of the Annual Energy Outlook that highlights changes in the AEO Reference case projections for key energy topics. The Early Release includes data tables for the Reference case only. The AEO2014 full version will be released early Spring 2014.
Download the AEO2014 Early Release Report

London office market: Good prospects from 2014

http://www.property-magazine.eu/london-office-market-good-prospects-from-2014-23396.html

UK
13. Dezember 2012
London office market: Good prospects from 2014

In its latest research paper, Henderson’s c. £12.4 billion Property business, examines prospects for the Central London office market. The report notes that City Fringe, West End and Midtown sub-markets have benefitted from strong take up by technology, media and telecommunications firms during an otherwise difficult year for the domestic economy. Core City take up has been dominated by lettings from the insurance sector with very subdued activity from banking. Underlying City take-up has been relatively stable over the last 12 months or so, at around 75% of the long run average. This sub-par level of activity is expected to persist while low confidence and volatility persists in the markets.

Another Office Tower Trades Hands in San Francisco as Local Market Soars

http://www.multihousingnews.com/cities/san-francisco/another-office-tower-trades-hands-in-san-francisco-as-local-market-soars/1004094912.html

Dec. 13, 2013

Another Office Tower Trades Hands in San Francisco as Local Market Soars
By Alex Girda, Associate Editor

As the San Francisco office market becomes one of the healthiest local markets in the entire country, the rush is on for investors to capitalize on the impressive appeal of the San Francisco Bay Area before 2013 draws to a close. We’ve recently reported on the major deals completed in the city for high-profile office assets, and now KBS Real Estate Investment Trust III is adding to an already impressive tally of major real estate transactions completed just weeks before the end of Q4. The public non-traded REIT recently shelled out $121 million for an office building in the city’s South Financial District.

Re/Max forecasts ‘exceptionally healthy’ real estate market in 2014

http://business.financialpost.com/2013/12/11/remax-forecasts-exceptionally-healthy-real-estate-market-in-2014/

Re/Max forecasts ‘exceptionally healthy’ real estate market in 2014

Canadian Press | December 11, 2013 7:40 AM ET
More from Canadian Press

MISSISSAUGA, Ont. — Canada can expect an “exceptionally healthy” housing market in 2014 thanks to improvements in the overall economy that helped produce a surge in the latter half of this year, a leading real estate group said Wednesday.

Propane demand hits a record high for November

DECEMBER 12, 2013
Propane demand hits a record high for November

http://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.cfm?id=14151

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Weekly Petroleum Status Report
Note: Product supplied is a proxy for consumption.

Propane is produced from natural gas at processing plants and from crude oil at refineries. Propane produced from natural gas has been the fastest-growing component of overall U.S. propane supply. Propane production in the United States has set record highs on an almost weekly basis in 2013 as a result of increased oil and natural gas drilling. A record corn crop harvest has increased the demand for propane (shown in the graph above as product supplied) in the central United States. Expanded propane production met this agricultural demand, while continuing to supply other markets.

2014 US Credit Outlook - Living in a Lean World

2014 US Credit Outlook - Living in a Lean World

Mark Howard, Colleen Watson, Ashish Jain - Credit
The Weekly Credit Pulse | 12 Dec 2013 16:47 | 1131 Kb

Summary
2014 US Credit Market Roadmap
US credit spreads are likely to grind tighter through much of 2014, but the path will not be linear or easy. Decent fundamentals and solid inflows are offset by rising interest rates, suppressed volatility, and skinny valuations. Total returns are expected to be modest in 2014 given our rates forecast, but excess returns are expected to be decidedly positive. We forecast 13bp of cash IG spread tightening and 58bp of HY tightening by year-end.

CIT Survey Finds Middle Market Commercial Real Estate Executives Cautiously Optimistic But Feeling The Strain Of The Taxes And Regulations

http://www.forbes.com/sites/forbespr/2013/12/12/cit-survey-finds-middle-market-commercial-real-estate-executives-cautiously-optimistic-but-feeling-the-strain-of-the-taxes-and-regulations/

12/12/2013 @ 9:11AM
CIT Survey Finds Middle Market Commercial Real Estate Executives Cautiously Optimistic But Feeling The Strain Of The Taxes And Regulations

60% Say Their Go-Forward Orientation Is Opportunistic, With a Mix of Challenges and Opportunities
60% Say the Current Tax and Regulatory Climate Is Placing a Strain on Their Performance
40% Say They Are Negotiating Harder With State and Local Governments to Obtain Tax Credits

NEW YORK – December 12, 2013 – Middle market commercial real estate executives are expressing cautious optimism toward the market and are looking to take advantage of long-term investment opportunities. However, the majority are finding that the current tax and regulatory climate is placing a strain on the performance of their companies. These are some of the findings from a recent survey (cit.com/realestateoutlook) by CIT Group Inc. (NYSE: CIT) cit.com, a leading provider of financing and advisory services to small businesses and middle market companies, and Forbes Insights.

Economy, Marc Faber

The problem with Mr. Obama is that you get more regulation and it’s a disincentive for businessmen to hire people. You probably also get higher taxes, so in terms of the economy, he is very negative in my view.

- Marc Faber (1946- )