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

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

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

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