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

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

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

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

Singapore-based Aquilius Investment Partners has secured USD 1.1 billion in capital commitments for its second Asia-Pacific real-estate secondaries platform making it the region�s largest of its kind. The fundraising included over USD 750 million for its flagship fund, exceeding the original USD 700 million target. Half of the capital is already deployed across eight transactions. Founded in 2021 by former executives of Partners Group and Blackstone Group, Aquilius is focusing on sectors such as logistics, data centres and living, and has attracted sovereign wealth and pension funds as primary investors.Read more

Spain's sustained economic strength has continued to fuel its property market, supported by consistent GDP growth and falling unemployment. Revised figures from the National Statistics Institute indicated a 3.5% GDP rise in 2024, while Caixa Bank lifted its 2025 forecast to 2.9%. With strong demand and property prices rising, developers such as Taylor Wimpey Espana have highlighted the present as an ideal time for both domestic and international buyers to invest in Spanish homes.Read more

Arbor Realty Trust reported third-quarter net income of USD 52.01 million, slightly below analysts' expectations of USD 52.48 million, with earnings per share at USD 0.20 versus the forecasted USD 0.23. Revenue totalled USD 2.02 billion, supported by a USD 48 million gain from an equity investment and the firm's strongest agency loan origination activity since late 2020, with USD 1.98 billion in new loans. Net interest income stood at USD 38.26 million, and the company declared a USD 0.30 quarterly dividend. Analysts maintain a 'hold' rating, with a 12-month price target of USD 11.75. Despite the earnings miss, robust loan growth and steady dividends reflect Arbor's underlying financial resilience.Read more

Federal Realty Investment Trust reported third-quarter revenue of USD 322.3 million, exceeding analyst expectations of USD 315 million, driven by strong tenant demand and rising rental income across its grocery-anchored retail portfolio. The trust's partnerships with essential retailers such as Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, and Safeway helped sustain growth amid inflationary pressures. Funds from operations (FFO) stood at USD 1.77 per share, matching forecasts. Federal Realty raised the lower end of its annual FFO guidance to USD 7.20-7.26 per share and narrowed its profit outlook to USD 3.93-3.99 per share. The results underscore the resilience of necessity-based retail assets and management's confidence in steady rental growth and occupancy stability.Read more

Keppel Corporation reported a net profit increase of over 25% for the nine months ended September, excluding non-core assets slated for divestment such as legacy offshore, marine, and property holdings. Including discontinued operations, overall profit still rose more than 5%, despite a one-time accounting loss from the planned sale of M1 Limited's telecom business. The group's recurring income grew nearly 15%, led by strong results in its infrastructure division and rising contributions from decarbonisation initiatives. Its real estate arm monetised about S$830 million in assets, taking total realisations to S$14 billion since 2020. With an asset-light strategy and new monetisation targets above S$500 million, Keppel remains well positioned for sustained growth.Read more

India has obtained a six-month exemption from US sanctions to continue operating Iran's Chabahar Port, following diplomatic talks between New Delhi and Washington. The waiver renewal ensures uninterrupted work at the port, a key part of India's regional trade and connectivity strategy linking it with Afghanistan, Central Asia, and Russia through the International North-South Transport Corridor. The exemption, which follows the expiry of the earlier waiver, reinforces Chabahar's role in India's long-term efforts to develop sustainable trade routes bypassing Pakistan.Read more