In a significant legal move, New Jersey has filed a lawsuit against RealPage, a Texas-based property management software firm, and ten of the state's major landlords, including AvalonBay Communities. The state accuses them of colluding to inflate residential rents through RealPage's revenue management software, which allegedly facilitated the sharing of non-public data like lease prices and amenities to suppress competition. This purported collusion has reportedly led to hundreds of thousands of residents, especially low-income renters, paying over 30% of their income on housing. The lawsuit seeks civil penalties, profit recovery, an injunction, and the appointment of a monitor to prevent further misconduct. This action follows a similar federal lawsuit filed by the U.S. Department of Justice and eight states against RealPage in 2024.Read more

In a move aimed at bolstering its financial position, China's Country Garden has sold an 11.063% stake in LandSpace Technology Co. for approximately USD 179.76 million (1.31 billion yuan). This transaction forms part of the company's broader strategy to address its liquidity challenges and is expected to generate a pre-tax profit of 370 million yuan. Country Garden, which has been an investor in LandSpace since 2019, has been navigating financial difficulties and is in the process of finalizing talks with bondholders and creditors for a restructuring plan.Read more

Dubai has announced plans to build the Muraba Veil, one of the world's thinnest skyscrapers, along the Dubai Water Canal. Standing 380 meters tall and only 22.5 meters wide, the tower will feature 74 floors and 131 luxury apartments ranging from 2 to 5 bedrooms. Designed by RCR Arquitectes and engineered by WSP and Arup, the building will include private terraces, lush gardens, and a unique stainless steel mesh facade inspired by traditional Arabian architecture. Residents will enjoy exclusive amenities such as a wellness spa, private cinema, restaurant, and inner courtyards. The project is set for completion in 2028.Read more

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced financial relief for house tenants and pensioners after Greece reported a stronger-than-expected primary surplus of 4.8% of GDP in 2024. The surplus, driven by robust economic growth and improved tax compliance, exceeded earlier projections and created fiscal room for targeted support. The government will fund one month's rent for eligible tenants and grant a EUR 250 annual allowance to low-income pensioners. Mitsotakis also pledged to boost public investments by EUR 500 million each year. As debt levels decline and fiscal stability strengthens, Greece continues to balance economic recovery with direct support for vulnerable citizens.Read more

Amazon has leased 330,000 sq-ft at 10 Bryant Park in New York City, fully occupying the former HSBC tower. The deal, finalized last week, follows lease talks initiated in Oct '24. HSBC will vacate by month's end, and Amazon will take over floors 3–11. Annual-rent starts at USD 29.5 million, rising to USD 32.2 million in five years. Despite past setbacks, Amazon continues expanding in NYC, adding this long-term lease to its growing Manhattan presence. The company already owns the Lord & Taylor building and holds subleases elsewhere. The new-offices will open in early-2026 as part of its city-campus.Read more

In a significant decline, single-family housing starts in the US dropped by 14.2% in March 2025, reaching a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 940,000 units. This marks the lowest point since July 2024. The decrease is largely attributed to higher costs driven by import tariffs, alongside declining builder confidence. The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) indicated that builders are facing an average cost increase of $10,900 per home, outweighing the benefits of falling mortgage rates. Additionally, permits for future single-family housing construction fell by 2.0%, reaching 978,000 units. The broader housing starts also experienced a decline of 11.4%, dropping to 1.324 million units.Read more

Canada's housing market continued its decline in March, with national home sales falling 4.8% from February and 9.3% year-on-year-the weakest March since 2009, according to CREA. This marks a 20% drop in sales since November. Home prices also fell, with the average price down 3.7% annually and the Home Price Index slipping 1% in March. The slowdown is linked to global trade tensions, particularly U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods. Despite interest rate cuts by the Bank of Canada, economic uncertainty persists. CREA has lowered its 2025 sales forecast, and housing starts fell 3.3% in March, signaling weakness on both demand and supply fronts.Read more

China's new home prices remained steady in March 2025, halting a previous decline and suggesting potential stabilization in the housing market. While year-on-year prices were down 4.5%, this marked a slight improvement from February's 4.8% drop. Government measures, including easing mortgage rules and improving developer financing, have aimed to bolster the sector. However, challenges persist with a 3.0% drop in property sales by floor area in Q1 and a 9.9% decline in investment. Analysts anticipate further policy support, such as a possible 50-basis-point cut in the five-year loan prime rate by mid-2025, to sustain the market's recovery.Read more

Germany's residential construction sector continues to struggle, as apartment building permits declined by 2.3% in February compared to the same month last year, totaling just 17,900 approvals. This downturn follows two months of modest gains, interrupting hopes of a sustained recovery. The nation remains significantly below its annual target of 400,000 new apartments. Industry leaders are urging the incoming government to implement tax incentives and reduce bureaucratic hurdles to revitalize the sector.Read more

Lego has officially launched a USD 1 billion manufacturing facility in Vietnam's Binh Duong province as part of its strategic push to strengthen its footprint in the Asia-Pacific region. The new plant, Lego's first carbon-neutral factory and sixth globally, is expected to support rising demand from fast-growing Asian markets like India, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, and Australia. With plans to run the factory entirely on renewable energy by early 2026 and a target of net-zero emissions by 2050, the company is aligning its expansion with sustainability goals. The move is also expected to generate over 4,000 local jobs.Read more