22 Jul 2026

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has come under criticism after property records showed that he and his wife extended credit to buyers of their Seoul apartment, despite his government's strict mortgage lending rules aimed at curbing property speculation. The financing arrangement has triggered political and public debate over whether it contradicts the intent of the housing policy. Lee's office said the apartment was sold below market value and that the credit arrangement was made due to the buyers' financial circumstances.Read more

22 Jul 2026

Knowledge Economic City has announced the sale of two land plots within its masterplan in Madinah for a total net transaction value of SAR 229.1 million. The company expects the transaction to generate a gross profit of SAR 207.5 million, significantly higher than the recorded book value of the assets. The proceeds will be used to improve liquidity, strengthen the company's financial position and support ongoing strategic development projects. The transaction forms part of the company's broader strategy to optimise its land portfolio while advancing the long-term development of its master-planned project in Madinah.Read more

22 Jul 2026

Portugal’s stricter immigration rules are creating fresh challenges for the country’s construction sector at a time when it is trying to address a severe housing shortage. Industry leaders say the new measures have reduced the availability of migrant workers, who make up a significant share of the construction workforce. With the country planning large-scale affordable housing and infrastructure projects, developers and trade bodies have warned that labour shortages could delay construction, increase project costs and affect the delivery of new homes over the coming years.Read more

22 Jul 2026

Healthpeak Properties and Brookfield Asset Management have entered into a strategic joint venture valued at approximately USD 2.1 billion to strengthen their healthcare real estate portfolio. Under the agreement, Brookfield has acquired a 49% stake in the venture, while Healthpeak has retained a 51% ownership and will continue to manage the assets. The transaction has generated USD 1.02 billion in proceeds for Healthpeak through the sale of its minority interest. The agreement also provides Healthpeak with the option to repurchase Brookfield's stake after the seventh year under pre-agreed terms.Read more

22 Jul 2026

Brookfield Asset Management and Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPP Investments) have agreed to acquire LXP Industrial Trust in an all-cash transaction valued at around USD 5.2 billion. The deal reflects continued investor interest in industrial real estate, particularly warehouse and logistics assets, which continue to benefit from rising e-commerce activity and supply chain upgrades. LXP's shares gained in premarket trading following the announcement. The acquisition is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2026, subject to shareholder approval and other customary closing conditions.Read more

22 Jul 2026

Hut 8 has signed a second 15-year AI data centre lease worth USD 9.8 billion with an existing investment-grade customer, fully commercialising its 1-gigawatt Beacon Point campus in Texas. The agreement doubles the customer's contracted capacity at the site to 704 MW and raises the campus' base-term contract value to USD 19.6 billion. The company has expanded its total contracted AI data centre portfolio to 949 MW as demand for AI computing infrastructure continues to grow, supported by rising investments in advanced data centres worldwide.Read more

21 Jul 2026

Governments and local authorities across several countries are tightening regulations on new data centre developments as the rapid growth of artificial intelligence drives higher demand for electricity, water and land. Measures range from temporary construction freezes and permanent bans to stricter power connection rules and new policy frameworks. While authorities are aiming to balance technological growth with infrastructure capacity and environmental concerns, many regions are also introducing long-term planning measures to ensure essential public services and industries are prioritised.Read more

21 Jul 2026

A fire at Coupang's fulfilment centre in Incheon continued to burn for more than 52 hours, prompting authorities to evacuate nearby factories and businesses over fears of a partial building collapse. All workers were safely evacuated and no injuries were reported. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. The warehouse plays a key role in serving the Seoul metropolitan area, although the company has not yet disclosed the extent of operational disruption or financial impact caused by the incident.Read more

21 Jul 2026

Thailand has reaffirmed its plan to complete the first phase of its high-speed rail corridor linking the country with China by 2030. The project forms part of a wider regional rail network connecting Kunming in China to Singapore through Southeast Asia. Alongside the rail infrastructure, Thailand and China have expanded cooperation in trade, defence and security, including measures to tackle cross-border financial fraud and online scam networks. The rail project is expected to strengthen regional connectivity, improve trade logistics and enhance passenger movement across neighbouring countries.Read more

21 Jul 2026

China is looking to support economic growth by speeding up already-approved national infrastructure projects rather than introducing a large fiscal stimulus package. The strategy comes as tighter controls on local government borrowing and spending have slowed investment across infrastructure, manufacturing and real estate. The central government is focusing on projects such as power grids, water networks, logistics and computing infrastructure while continuing efforts to reduce wasteful investment and excess industrial capacity. Economists believe Beijing is prioritising productivity and technology-led growth, although concerns remain over inefficient spending and weak local government finances.Read more