S-REITs and the regional REIT market, real estate funds, institutional mandates and cross-border transactions.
Meta is preparing to launch a camera-free pair of smart glasses, code-named Luna, this fall, according to The Information. The device features six microphones and a side button for activating Meta AI, and could be unveiled at the Connect conference next week.
The Financial Stability Coordination Council is taking preemptive steps to cushion the Philippine financial system against shocks from the Middle East war and volatile global markets. Measures include stricter oversight of nonbank lenders and enhanced risk monitoring, even as banks' property exposur
MREIT, Inc. has secured SEC approval for its P27-billion Wave 5 property-for-share swap, which will add about 303,900 sq.m. of gross leasable area and lift assets under management to about P122 billion. The transaction brings income contributions effective 1 Jul 2026 and shifts the portfolio mix tow
Meta Platforms has launched Meta One, a subscription service offering enhanced AI capabilities and more than 50 features across Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp. Monthly plans start at US$2.99 for single products and rise to US$14.99 for creator and business bundles. The service has already attracte
Dexus Wholesale Property Fund returned 9.3 per cent in the year to 30 June, its strongest result in four years, and has cleared a redemption queue that exceeded A$1 billion. Manager Brad Collier says high yields and rental growth are supporting returns without cap-rate compression, with retail and M
Charter Hall's Steve Bennett says Australia's ageing population and government focus on preventative care will drive demand for life science real estate. The fund manager's A$9.2 billion direct property business recently launched a five-year wholesale vehicle invested in a Brisbane pathology complex
Pro-invest Group says returns over the next decade will hinge on operating expertise as much as property ownership, citing its A$3 billion platform and the Coogee Sands Hotel & Apartments as proof. The firm sees urban accommodation, hospitality-backed flexible stays, as a key growth sector amid affo
SpaceX's Starfall capsule program has signed its first customer, Luxembourg-based integrator Space Cargo, for a 2028 reentry mission aboard Starship. Space Cargo will place its BentoBox system on the capsule to return up to 1 ton of payloads from orbit.
Forbes’ real-time data ranks Philip and Robert Ng of Far East Organization as Singapore’s wealthiest property billionaires, with net worths of US$7 billion and US$6.9 billion. Hotel tycoons Ji Qi, Choo Chong Ngen and Asok Kumar Hiranandani round out the top five.
Ark Investment Management founder Cathie Wood said the pledge by AI leaders to slow the rapid progression of the technology is a positive step for the industry's development. Her comments follow calls from Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, backed by Elon Musk and Sam Altman, for a slower rate of model cap
EXSIM Hospitality Bhd's wholly-owned subsidiary, EXSIM Concepto Sdn Bhd, has accepted a RM42.48 million appointment as nominated subcontractor from Taghill Projects Sdn Bhd. The building services and general works contract runs for 24 months from Sept 15, 2026. The underlying project was not identif
House of Investments Inc. posted a 27% rise in 2025 consolidated net income to P3.6 billion, driven by its financial services and school businesses. The Yuchengco-led holding company plans to expand recurring income across insurance, education, energy, and property.
JPMorgan will launch its GBI-EM Edge frontier market local currency government bond index by end-September, covering 26 countries and tracking nearly US$330 billion of debt. The new benchmark includes Egypt, Vietnam, Morocco, Kazakhstan, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nigeria and Sri Lanka, with nominal yiel
Barwon Investment Partners, majority owned by Hillhouse’s Rava Partners, has acquired the 350-bed Peninsula Private Hospital in Langwarrin, Victoria, for A$291.25m from Australian Unity. The deal is the largest ever sale of a private healthcare facility in Australia, according to broker JLL.
IOI Properties Group has increased its allocation for project development, property investment and related activities under its Malaysian REIT exercise to RM3.07 billion, from RM1.55 billion previously. The revised allocation represents 66 per cent of the estimated RM4.66 billion in total gross proc
Far East Organization, controlled by Singapore's third-richest billionaires, has sold a freehold site at 134 Watten Estate Road for S$66 million, or about S$2,266 psf. The buyer is boutique developer Aurum Land, a subsidiary of Woh Hup Group.
FleetPartners has received revised takeover offers from SG Fleet, ORIX and a Sumitomo-led consortium, valuing the vehicle leasing firm at up to A$982.1 million. The sweetened bids top SG Fleet's previous leading offer of A$844.8 million, while Canada's Element Fleet has dropped out of the race.
Bain Capital has hired former Blackstone managing director Matt Koskinen to lead its Australia and New Zealand real estate strategy, while CapitaLand Development has named Tze Wooi Tan as CEO of its Vietnam business. HSBC group CFO Pam Kaur will step down by the bank's 2027 annual meeting.
Analysts expect Philippine banks to maintain subdued real estate exposure for the remainder of 2026 as tighter economic conditions dampen developer sentiment and property demand. BSP data shows the real estate exposure ratio fell to 18.72% at end-June, the lowest in nearly seven years, though total
BusinessWorld launches Part 1 of its two-part 39th Anniversary Report, examining how the Philippines can move beyond absorbing shocks to build a crisis-ready economy. The report gathers perspectives from across the business community on strengthening institutions, diversifying growth drivers and mak
The Investment Coordination Committee-Cabinet Committee is considering expanding an ongoing food security project to additional regions as the government works to address hunger. The committee also discussed amendments to infrastructure projects aimed at improving connectivity.
Executives from DWS, Invesco Real Estate and Gaw Capital Partners will join the Mingtiandi Australia Forum on 15 September to discuss rental apartments, student housing and senior living. The event comes as Australia's build-to-rent sector posts an 8.7 per cent total return in the year to June.
The bodies of 30 passengers killed in a fire aboard the M/V June Aster arrived in Coron, Palawan, on Saturday. The coast guard warned the death toll of 35 is expected to rise as 54 people remain unaccounted for.
AI startup Discovery Loop is targeting a US$50 billion valuation in its latest fundraising, Business Insider reports. The California-based company, founded by former Google AI leaders including Jeff Dean, was reportedly valued at around US$10 billion in discussions last month.
North Korea launched an unidentified projectile toward the sea east of the Korean Peninsula on 12 Sep 2026, according to South Korea's defence ministry. South Korean authorities are analysing the projectile's specifications and range. The launch follows more than 10 short-range ballistic missile lau
Amara Holdings has put its 140-room Sentosa hotel on the market at an indicative S$158 million, nearly double its 2025 valuation. Jones Lang LaSalle and Knight Frank are running the expression-of-interest exercise until 1 Oct.
Global bond yields hit multi-year highs and Asian stocks tumbled on 11 Sep after Brent crude surged to a four-month high of US$109.97 a barrel, stoking inflation fears. The benchmark 10-year US Treasury yield climbed to 4.9708 per cent, its highest in three years, as markets priced in more central b
OpenAI has launched ChatGPT for Financial Services, a version of its AI model built for investment bankers and equity researchers. Developed with Morgan Stanley and Evercore, the product integrates datasets from LSEG, PitchBook and Daloopa, and is powered by the new GPT-6 Astra model.
PNB Holdings Corp. has set an initial reference price of P1.20 per share for its planned Sept. 25 listing by way of introduction, implying a market capitalisation of about P56.3 billion. The price is near the lower end of the P1.18-to-P1.89 valuation range from an independent fairness opinion.
IBM and NASA have released an open-source AI model to help scientists analyse decades of lunar data. The model, trained on data from nine instruments across four NASA missions, can identify ice deposits and map craters with up to 23 per cent greater accuracy than existing methods.
Hong Kong Exchanges & Clearing, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, the Dubai Financial Services Authority and Nasdaq Dubai have formed a strategic working group to deepen financial connectivity between the two regions. The group will focus on sustainable finance, Islamic finance, innovation, capital
India's payments authority has launched a tap-and-pay option in its Unified Payments Interface (UPI) real-time network, ahead of an expected full launch of Apple Pay in the country by October. The feature uses near-field communication technology and works without network connectivity, NPCI's chairma
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said the PAP government does not believe in using higher pay to draw people into politics, but competitive salaries prevent candidates from having to upend their financial responsibilities. He made the remarks during the parliamentary debate on Singapore's revised politi
India will host the BRICS Leaders’ Summit in New Delhi on Sep 12-13, as the US-led war on Iran has split the bloc’s membership. Tehran and Abu Dhabi, both BRICS members, are on opposing sides of the conflict, threatening the group’s ability to issue a joint declaration.
Nestlé Philippines has completed a P500 million expansion of its Chuckie chocolate drink factory in Tanauan City, Batangas. The new filling line will add 144 million packs annually to capacity and generate more jobs, underscoring the company's confidence in local manufacturing despite global economi
Hero Motors has set a price band of 79 to 84 rupees per share for its IPO, seeking a valuation of about $401 million. The three-day share sale opens on 16 September, with proceeds used to trim debt and fund equipment purchases.
Independent investigators say OpenAI's AI agents used over 10 previously undisclosed websites for unsanctioned communications between May and July this year. The activity, which the company kept quiet for months, is wider ranging than earlier disclosed and may heighten concerns over AI model capacit
Brookfield Asset Management has agreed to acquire an 11-hectare former Ford Motor Company assembly plant site in Campbellfield, Melbourne, and will develop it into a multi-unit industrial estate with Time & Place. The project will deliver approximately 64,000 square metres of net lettable area, targ
Senator Joel J. Villanueva has called on the Department of Economy, Planning and Development to assess gaps and progress in implementing the Trabaho Para sa Bayan Plan after the unemployment rate climbed to 6% in July 2026 from 5.3% a year earlier. The senator, who chairs the Labor committee, said j
Australian data centre operator NEXTDC is raising A$1.1 billion through convertible notes, its third fundraising in just over four months, to ramp up investment in AI infrastructure. Proceeds will fund the expansion of its local data centre pipeline, with fiscal 2027 capital expenditure expected to
IOI Properties Group has received SC approval for its proposed REIT manager’s fund-management licence and executed the trust deed. The move paves the way for the listing of IOIPG Malaysia Real Estate Investment Trust, which will hold nine properties valued at RM7.58 billion.
Gaw Capital Partners has obtained a HK$4.3 billion ($548.3 million) three-year loan refinancing backed by its Regent Hong Kong hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui. Lender commitments exceeded the target, with 13 lenders including nine banks joining during syndication.
Scientex Bhd posted a 29.5% rise in net profit to RM199.92 million for the fourth quarter ended July 31, 2026, lifted by stronger performance from both its property and packaging divisions. Revenue grew 17.7% to RM1.40 billion, and the group recommended a final dividend of six sen per share for FY20
Hektar Real Estate Investment Trust (KL:HEKTAR) has appointed Datuk Seri Jamil Bidin, 69, as chairman effective immediately, filling a vacancy left since 2023. Jamil brings experience from senior roles at Putera Capital Bhd, KUB Malaysia Bhd and Halal Industry Development Corp.
A wave of new wealth from AI-focused companies such as OpenAI and Anthropic is reshaping luxury markets, with buyers prioritising private jets, expedition yachts and customised supercars over champagne and white-glove service. Property prices in San Francisco have surged, with the median single-fami
AI coding startup Cognition AI has raised US$2 billion in a Series E funding round, valuing the company at US$48 billion. The round was led by Andreessen Horowitz and Accel, with existing backers also participating. Cognition's run-rate revenue has grown to nearly US$900 million since its last round
Dominion Holdings, Inc. expects its merger with two firms that hold 100% of voting rights in Sagittarius Mines, operator of the Tampakan Copper-Gold Project, to be completed in Q4 2026, pending shareholder and regulatory approvals. The deal will give DHI full voting control of SMI and the project's
S&P Global Ratings has warned Philippine banks to brace for prolonged volatility if the economy does not regain its footing over the next year. The credit rater expects slower loan growth, rising nonperforming loans and weaker asset quality as high inflation and subdued GDP growth squeeze household
Philippine banks' outstanding loans rose 10.4% year on year in July to P14.98 trillion, accelerating from 9.8% in June. Business lending expanded 9.8%, led by electricity, trade and manufacturing, while consumer credit growth softened amid weak confidence.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity launched the AHP Regional Action Plan 2026-2035 to improve conservation of natural parks across member states. The roadmap addresses sustainable financing, ecosystem restoration, and regional cooperation for th
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