17 Jul 2026

Skanska has secured a contract worth about SEK 1 billion to build a new city campus for Kristianstad University in Sweden. The project, awarded by Boulevardfastigheter AB, will provide a modern education and research facility designed to serve around 13,000 students and 550 staff members. The development also places strong emphasis on sustainability through the reuse of construction materials from the adjacent Galleria Boulevard. Construction is scheduled to begin in early August 2026, with completion targeted for June 2029, and the contract will be recorded in Skanska’s third-quarter 2026 order bookings.Read more

17 Jul 2026

New Zealand's housing market remained largely stable during the past month, with median house prices showing limited movement despite mixed regional performance. Data from the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand (REINZ) indicated that while annual prices recorded a marginal increase, home sales declined on both a monthly and yearly basis. The South Island continued to outperform several other regions, while Wellington remained subdued. The market is also adjusting to a higher interest rate environment following the Reserve Bank of New Zealand's recent policy rate increase.Read more

17 Jul 2026

New York has become the first US state to impose a temporary moratorium on the construction of large data centres, introducing a one-year ban on new facilities with power requirements of 50 megawatts or more. Announced by Governor Kathy Hochul, the measure aims to assess the environmental, infrastructure and economic impacts of hyperscale data centres amid growing concerns over electricity demand, water consumption and rising utility costs. During the moratorium, the state will prepare a Generic Environmental Impact Statement and develop uniform standards for future projects. The move places New York at the centre of a national policy debate as several US states consider stricter oversight of data centre development driven by rapid growth in artificial intelligence infrastructure.Read more

17 Jul 2026

Saba Capital Management has increased its shareholding in UK flexible office provider Workspace Group to 29.1%, making it the company's largest shareholder and reinforcing its campaign for strategic and governance changes. The latest investment comes ahead of Workspace's annual general meeting later this month, where Saba has proposed replacing the company's non-executive directors and advocated a property disposal programme. The increased holding leaves the activist investor just below the 30% threshold that would trigger a mandatory takeover offer under UK takeover regulations. Workspace has urged shareholders to reject Saba's proposals, arguing that its strategy would not support the company's long-term interests.Read more

17 Jul 2026

Scandic Hotels reported a 3.5% year-on-year increase in second-quarter net sales to SEK 6 billion but fell short of market expectations of SEK 6.08 billion. The Nordic hotel operator also posted adjusted EBITDA below analyst estimates, although adjusted earnings per share improved to SEK 2.01 from SEK 1.69 a year earlier. Performance was supported by strong leisure travel, a busy events calendar and stable meetings and conference demand, while a slower-than-expected recovery in Finland continued to weigh on results. The company expects occupancy levels in the third quarter to remain broadly in line with last year, with higher average room rates and second-half performance comparable with 2025.Read more

17 Jul 2026

Workspace Group Plc reported a modest improvement in its operating performance during the first quarter, with higher stabilised occupancy and rental income across its flexible office portfolio. The company completed 375 leasing transactions, including new lettings and renewals, while its total portfolio occupancy reached 79.8%. Alongside the operational update, Workspace said it is evaluating additional asset disposals worth more than GBP 100 million, taking forward its strategy to strengthen earnings and optimise its property portfolio. The move also comes as the company continues to face pressure from activist investor Saba Capital.Read more

17 Jul 2026

Blackstone-backed data centre operator AirTrunk is preparing to launch a Singapore real estate investment trust (REIT) IPO in September or October, aiming to raise around USD 1.5 billion, according to sources. The company has reportedly filed confidentially for the listing and has begun discussions with potential cornerstone investors. The proposed listing comes as investor interest in data centre assets continues to grow, driven by rising demand from cloud computing and artificial intelligence. However, the final timeline and deal size may change depending on market conditions.Read more

17 Jul 2026

Meta has announced a major expansion of its Hyperion data centre project in Richland Parish, Louisiana, increasing its planned compute capacity from more than 2 gigawatts (GW) to 5GW. The company said its investment in the artificial intelligence (AI) facility has now surpassed USD 50 billion, reflecting growing demand for computing infrastructure required to train large language models. The expansion includes more than USD 1 billion in local infrastructure upgrades covering roads, water and wastewater systems. Since construction began in late 2024, local businesses have secured contracts worth over USD 1.6 billion, while increased tax revenues have supported higher teacher bonuses in the parish. The announcement comes amid continued scrutiny from environmental groups over the energy demands and financing of large-scale AI data centres.Read more

17 Jul 2026

Saudi Real Estate Company (Al Akaria) has announced that the restriction on one of its land plots in North Riyadh has been lifted, allowing the company to move ahead with evaluating development opportunities for the site. The land has a book value of SAR 98.4 million. Following the removal of the restriction, the company said it is assessing the most suitable use for the property in line with its business strategy. The development comes as Saudi Arabia continues to see strong real estate activity driven by large-scale urban and infrastructure projects under Vision 2030.Read more

17 Jul 2026

China’s residential property market showed a slight improvement over the past month as new home prices declined at a slower pace compared to the previous month. However, analysts believe the improvement is not enough to signal a sustained recovery, with weak housing demand, falling investment, slower construction activity and cautious consumer sentiment continuing to weigh on the sector. While top-tier cities recorded marginal monthly price gains, smaller cities remained under pressure. Economists also expect the Chinese government to continue with targeted support measures instead of announcing large-scale stimulus for the housing market.Read more