08 Nov 2025

Japan's Mitsubishi Corporation has started building a large urea production facility in western Turkmenistan, valued at more than USD 1.3 billion. The plant, located at Kiyanly on the Caspian Sea coast, will have the capacity to produce 3,500 tons of urea and 2,000 tons of ammonia per day. Turkey's Gap ?n?aat has been awarded the construction contract. Turkmenistan, which holds the world�s fourth-largest natural gas reserves, is looking to reduce its reliance on gas exports and boost value-added chemical production.Read more

08 Nov 2025

Westpac Banking Corporation recorded a marginal fall in its annual profit to AUD 6.99 billion (USD 4.54 billion) for the year ended September, compared to AUD 7.11 billion a year earlier, though the result surpassed analyst expectations of AUD 6.83 billion. The bank continues to face strong competition in the home-lending market, with its mortgage growth trailing major rivals. Despite this, credit quality improved as home-loan arrears declined and stressed loans eased. Operating expenses rose 9% due to restructuring, technology and wage costs, while the bank maintained steady margins and declared a final dividend of AUD 0.77 per share.Read more

08 Nov 2025

The Singapore government has announced plans to gazette the bungalow at 38 Oxley Road, the former home of founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, as a national monument. Built in 1898, the house was deemed of great historic value by the National Heritage Board and Singapore Land Authority for its role during the 1950s when Singapore was transitioning from a colony to an independent nation. Although Lee's will requested its demolition, the government stated it would preserve the site respectfully, removing all traces of private living areas if it becomes a public heritage space.Read more

08 Nov 2025

Empiric Student Property Plc, a UK-based student accommodation operator, has reported a decline in occupancy to 89% for the ongoing academic year, compared with 95% a year ago, and expects to miss its 97% target. The drop is mainly due to fewer Chinese student tenants, slower booking activity, and supply-demand imbalances in certain regional cities. UK students now make up 43% of the total occupancy. The company, currently being acquired by Unite Group Plc, still expects rental growth of around 4.5% this year.Read more

08 Nov 2025

Malaysia's Prime Minister announced that a MYR 600 million (USD 142 million) facility will soon be built in Pahang to manufacture super-magnets, marking a shift from planning to execution for the foreign-backed project. The facility, involving Australia's Lynas Rare Earths and South Korea's JS Link, follows an earlier July agreement to produce up to 3,000 tonnes of neodymium-iron-boron magnets near Lynas' Kuantan plant. Malaysia holds an estimated 16.1 million metric tons of rare-earth deposits but lacks full processing capability, and is seeking foreign partners and technology sharing.Read more

07 Nov 2025

Dutch banking group Rabobank entered into an agreement worth around EUR 1 billion with pension investment firm PGGM to share credit risk across a portfolio of Dutch real estate assets. The collaboration, announced earlier this week, underscores the continued caution within the European property sector amid slow sales and uncertain credit markets. The move follows similar actions by other European banks seeking to mitigate exposure to potential market downturns.Read more

07 Nov 2025

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has cautioned that parts of the American economy, especially housing, may already be in recession due to prolonged high interest rates. He said that while overall growth remains stable, the real estate sector has been severely affected, with low-income consumers feeling the most strain from high borrowing costs. Bessent urged the Federal Reserve to accelerate rate cuts, arguing that easing monetary policy would support affordability and prevent deeper sectoral distress without reigniting inflationary pressures.Read more

07 Nov 2025

Vietnam's State Treasury raised 4.18 trillion dong (USD 158.7 million) in a recent government bond auction, down from USD 211 million raised in the previous week. The auction saw 32.2% of bonds sold, slightly lower than last week's 34.7%, reflecting moderate investor demand. Government bond sales this year have reached 273.6 trillion dong to fund public investments supporting economic growth. Corporate bond issuance has reached 482 trillion dong, with significant upcoming maturities in real estate and banking sectors, highlighting sectoral.Read more

07 Nov 2025

Australian equities weakened this week as investors turned cautious before the Reserve Bank of Australia�s upcoming policy announcement. The S&P/ASX 200 index dropped 0.5% to 8,838.40 after gaining 0.4% in October. Selling pressure was seen across banks and real estate counters, with Westpac falling 0.7% following a decline in annual profit. Commonwealth Bank and National Australia Bank also slipped, while rate-sensitive property and healthcare stocks retreated. Investor sentiment was affected by a strong September inflation reading and hawkish comments from global central bankers.Read more

07 Nov 2025

Simon Property Group Inc. reported a 28% increase in Q3 net income, reaching USD 606.2 million, largely due to higher occupancy rates and increased retailer sales. The company also raised its quarterly dividend by 4.8% to USD 2.20 per share and updated its 2025 FFO guidance. The acquisition of Taubman Realty Group earlier this year enhanced Simon's capabilities. Analysts maintain a "buy" rating on the stock with a 12-month price target of USD 188.00, indicating a 6.5% upside potential.Read more