South Africa raised INR 11.795 billion (USD 693 million) through its first infrastructure and development finance bonds, attracting bids of more than INR 26 billion. The funding came through 10-year and 15-year bonds, priced at interest rates of 8.575% and 9.13%. The issuance is part of a wider plan to channel over INR 1 trillion into public infrastructure over the next three years. The proceeds are expected to support large projects such as the Tygerberg Hospital redevelopment, a major Limpopo water pipeline and upgrades to Transnet’s coal and iron ore corridors.Read more

Chinese regulators have urged a faster and wider rollout of public REITs to address the growing liquidity strain on developers and to meet the rising demand for yield among investors. Senior officials from the China Securities Regulatory Commission said in a recent article that commercial assets including hotels, office buildings and stadiums should be brought under the REIT framework soon, following the CSRC’s release of draft rules for a pilot programme last week. They highlighted that China’s REIT market, valued at about 220 billion yuan (approximately USD31.12 billion), has significant room for long-term expansion.Read more

Alexander & Baldwin, a long-established commercial real estate fund in Hawaii, announced earlier this week that it will be taken private in a USD 2.3 billion all-cash transaction led by MW Group along with Blackstone Real Estate and DivcoWest. The offer gives shareholders USD 21.20 per share, reflecting a 40% premium over its previous close, and the company’s stock rose sharply in after-hours trading following the announcement. The deal, expected to close in the first quarter of 2026, will keep A&B’s existing name and Honolulu base. The investor consortium also intends to invest over USD 100 million in property upgrades.Read more

Mapletree Pan Asia Commercial Trust has agreed to sell the Festival Walk Tower in Hong Kong for HKD 1.96 billion, matching its latest valuation. The Singapore-listed REIT, backed by Temasek, said the divestment aligns with its strategy to streamline the portfolio amid a weak Greater China office market. The cash proceeds will be used to reduce debt, lowering gearing to about 36.5%. The move follows two office exits in Japan earlier this year. MPACT will continue to own the Festival Walk retail mall, which remains nearly fully leased. After the sale, the REIT's portfolio will include 15 commercial assets across Asia, with Singapore contributing most of its income.Read more

Major utilities across the United States have reported an unprecedented rise in long-term power supply agreements with data centre operators, driven by surging demand from artificial intelligence, cloud computing and hyperscale expansion. Industry assessments earlier this year suggested that data centres could account for nearly 8% of US power generation by 2030, up sharply from 3% in 2022. Over the past two years, utilities have signed multi-gigawatt clean-energy contracts, revived nuclear capacity, secured major hyperscaler deals and committed significant infrastructure investment to support large-scale campuses led by Google, Meta, Microsoft, Amazon and other developers.Read more

TotalEnergies is set to merge its British North Sea assets with NEO NEXT Energy, a partnership of Repsol and HitecVision, creating NEO NEXT+ with TotalEnergies holding a 47.5% stake. The venture is expected to produce over 250,000 barrels of oil equivalent daily by 2026. The deal follows a trend of consolidations by European oil majors in the North Sea. Analysts have raised concerns that while operational efficiency may improve, UK tax revenues could be affected. Completion of the merger is anticipated in the first half of 2026, pending regulatory approval.Read more

Palm Hills Developments is targeting over USD 7 billion in sales from its first UAE project, Saadiyat Shores, which spans 1.87 million square metres in Abu Dhabi and will cost around USD 5.4 billion to develop. Construction is planned for April or May 2026, with deliveries expected three to three-and-a-half years later. The company is securing financing from UAE banks and exploring additional projects in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Beyond the UAE, potential developments in Riyadh and Jeddah indicate a wider Gulf expansion strategy.Read more

United Real Estate Company has entered into a market maker agreement with Kuwait Financial Centre (Markaz) to enhance the liquidity of its shares on the Kuwait Stock Exchange. URC, established in 1973 and listed since 1984, has a diversified real?estate portfolio spanning retail, residential, commercial, and hospitality assets in Kuwait and MENA. The company has shown consistent financial growth, with a 21.3?% increase in net profit in 2024 and strong first quarter 2025 results. The market maker arrangement aims to support smoother trading and boost investor confidence.Read more

Brazil's audit court has backed a two-step auction process for the Tecon Santos 10 terminal at the Port of Santos. The plan keeps current terminal operators out of the first bidding round, giving new entrants the first chance to compete. Existing operators will only be allowed in if the initial stage fails to bring valid bids. The project requires close to 6 billion reais (about USD 1.11 billion) in investment over 25 years and is expected to increase the port's container capacity by nearly 50%. The decision has received mixed responses from industry players.Read more

EquipmentShare, a construction equipment rental and technology-driven fleet-management company, has filed for a US IPO after recording a 27% rise in revenue to USD 2.81 billion over the first nine months of this year. The company also reduced its net loss to USD 25.2 million during the same period. It plans to list on Nasdaq under the symbol EQPT. Analysts noted that the firm's rapid expansion strategy makes it sensitive to interest-rate movements and shifts in non-residential construction, which accounts for most of its revenue.Read more