https://www.scmp.com/rss/318780/feed Due to ample liquidity, property in Asian markets such as Singapore and Hong Kong has been driven relentlessly higher for years. As a result, governments have introduced property-cooling measures.  On the other hand, Chinese government started easing restrictions such as lowering the down payment for second homebuyers to improve the real estate sector. Western countries also impose different policies against foreign property buying. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal A proposed cap on the ground rents paid by leasehold homeowners in England and Wales is seen as favouring foreign property investors, including those from Hong Kong and mainland China, but another measure tightening rules in setting rents is dampening demand ahead of its implementation, according to analysts. An estimated 203,000 homes in England and Wales are registered to owners with an overseas address. Hongkongers hold 14 per cent, making them the largest group of foreign investors in the... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3349067/how-changes-home-rental-laws-england-will-impact-hong-kong-mainland-investors?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3349067/how-changes-home-rental-laws-england-will-impact-hong-kong-mainland-investors?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 08:00:07 +0000 Mia Nurmamat Mia Nurmamat Once dubbed the world’s tallest abandoned skyscraper, Goldin Finance 117 in northern China appears to be in the homestretch of a marathon construction effort – after nearly a decade of dormancy and a year of resumed work – even as the nation’s property market struggles to leg out a sustained recovery. Late last month, workers began installing a diamond-shaped crown on top of the building – designed to be 596 metres (1,955 feet) tall upon completion – in the port city of Tianjin, according to... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3348901/chinas-long-delayed-skyscraper-goldin-finance-117-nears-completion-amid-property-woes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3348901/chinas-long-delayed-skyscraper-goldin-finance-117-nears-completion-amid-property-woes?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 06:00:11 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Hong Kong’s New World Development (NWD) has shelved plans to acquire the remaining stakes in three commercial sites in Causeway Bay, signalling continued caution among developers despite signs of improving demand in the core office market. The company, which has been selling assets to reduce debt, said it would “exercise prudence as appropriate, having regard to cost and efficiency, as well as overall market supply and demand, with a view to delivering reasonable returns”. NWD, which reported... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3348834/new-world-pulls-back-causeway-bay-acquisition-amid-uneven-recovery?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3348834/new-world-pulls-back-causeway-bay-acquisition-amid-uneven-recovery?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 11:34:41 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Hong Kong’s property transactions crossed 7,000 for the sixth consecutive month in March – the first time in four years that monthly volumes stayed above this level – despite a slight fall last month, according to official data. Residential transactions declined by about 5.3 per cent to 6,316 from a month earlier, while their month-on-month value decreased by 4.19 per cent to HK$55.18 billion (US$7.04 billion), according to data from the Land Registry on Thursday. New and lived-in home sales... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3348739/hong-kongs-property-deals-exceed-7000-6-straight-months-march?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3348739/hong-kongs-property-deals-exceed-7000-6-straight-months-march?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 03:24:36 +0000 David Tingxuan Zhang David Tingxuan Zhang For years, China’s embattled real estate sector has been framed as a terminal drag on the economy – a deflating bubble that policymakers are unwilling to rescue but unable to ignore. That framing misses what is happening. The absence of a large bailout is not so much a sign of the leadership’s indifference as a deliberate choice. It points to something more consequential than short-term market stabilisation: a systemic effort to redesign the sector’s role in the macroeconomy. The old development... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3347891/reinflate-property-sector-no-china-wants-ambitious-redesign?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3347891/reinflate-property-sector-no-china-wants-ambitious-redesign?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 21:30:07 +0000 Zhu Wenqian Zhu Wenqian Major Chinese property developers reported operating losses in 2025 as a recovery in the world’s second-largest economy remained elusive after five years of decline, with some headline profits driven mainly by non-cash gains from debt restructuring. China Vanke posted a record 88.56 billion yuan (US$12.9 billion) loss last year in the latest sign that mainland developers continued to struggle under debt pressure and slowing residential sales. The developer said its annual revenue fell 32 per... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3348596/vanke-posts-record-8856-billion-yuan-loss-china-property-market-woes-linger?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3348596/vanke-posts-record-8856-billion-yuan-loss-china-property-market-woes-linger?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 01:58:21 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Hong Kong homebuyers snapped up new launches on Tuesday as developers accelerated sales amid concerns over slower rate cuts and geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. By about 3.50pm, all 254 flats released at the La Mirabelle project in Tseung Kwan O had been sold, according to market agents. “Today’s positive sales results at La Mirabelle is a vote of confidence for the Hong Kong residential market,” said Daryl Ng, chairman of Sino Group. “The Hong Kong residential market fundamentals are... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3348547/hong-kong-homebuyers-pile-new-launches-despite-rate-jitters-and-middle-east-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3348547/hong-kong-homebuyers-pile-new-launches-despite-rate-jitters-and-middle-east-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 09:49:52 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Hongkongers Oscar and Stella Chan, a couple in their late 60s, have little interest in moving into a traditional residential care home. The retired civil servants rent a flat in Ma On Shan in the New Territories and, while they acknowledge that ageing at home is not always “as straightforward as it sounds”, they believe conventional care homes can “feel restrictive”. “If my financial situation and health allow, I would much prefer not to stay in a residential care home for the elderly,” Oscar... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3348254/hong-kongs-ageing-challenge-singapores-kampung-admiralty-model-answer?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3348254/hong-kongs-ageing-challenge-singapores-kampung-admiralty-model-answer?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Mar 2026 07:30:08 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren Transactions of pre-owned homes in major Chinese cities led by Shanghai surged in March, fuelling expectations that the country’s embattled property sector may be stabilising. Analysts and brokers said a more active resale market pointed to a gradual return of confidence among homebuyers after a three-year downturn. In Shanghai, about 22,000 second-hand homes changed hands between March 1 and 23, up 170 per cent from the same period a month earlier, according to data from local financial outlet... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3348255/rising-second-hand-home-sales-offer-tentative-signs-floor-chinas-property-slump?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3348255/rising-second-hand-home-sales-offer-tentative-signs-floor-chinas-property-slump?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Mar 2026 06:00:34 +0000 Michael Han Michael Han When it comes to Chinese policy, what section of the work report it ends up in can say more than the policy itself. At the National People’s Congress, the most significant signal was not headline-grabbing stimulus but a quiet re-categorisation. Property policies have yet again been relegated to the risk prevention section in the government work report. This shift confirms that Beijing has fundamentally reappraised the sector. For global investors, the absence of a property stimulus bazooka was a... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3347753/chinas-property-pivot-growth-engine-protected-household-asset?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3347753/chinas-property-pivot-growth-engine-protected-household-asset?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Mar 2026 01:30:09 +0000 Ji Siqi Ji Siqi As China’s property downturn drags on, foreign companies in downstream industries are revamping their business models to cope with a decline in new construction projects, but the country’s stable policy environment is helping to ease the transition, according to an executive at a leading US supplier. Lift giant Otis is looking for new growth momentum in China’s government-led urban renewal drive, which includes a push to install or upgrade lift systems in ageing apartment buildings, said Judy... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3348155/chinas-property-downturn-grinds-foreign-suppliers-strive-adapt?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3348155/chinas-property-downturn-grinds-foreign-suppliers-strive-adapt?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Mar 2026 04:00:09 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Hong Kong developers on Friday released 222 new flats in Kowloon, the city’s largest batch of units on a single day since buyers were warned about the uncertain direction of interest rates. K&K Property launched 122 one-bedroom units at foto+, a single residential tower in Mong Kok close to Olympic station, while Wang On Properties put 100 units up for sale at the Connext project in Wong Tai Sin. By 7pm Friday, 103 of the foto+ units had found buyers. Sales at Connext, meanwhile, kicked off at... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3348175/hong-kong-developers-test-market-222-units-released-amid-interest-rate-uncertainty?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3348175/hong-kong-developers-test-market-222-units-released-amid-interest-rate-uncertainty?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 11:30:11 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Regal Hotels International Holdings and its units have sold the 494-room Regal Oriental Hotel for about HK$1.52 billion (US$194 million) to the real estate investment arm of Centaline Group, which operates one of Hong Kong’s largest property agency networks, to be converted into a student hostel. Regal Hotels and affiliates Century City International Holdings and Paliburg Holdings agreed to dispose of the 17-storey hotel on Sa Po Road, including two basement floors, the group said in a filing... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3347571/regals-us194-million-hotel-sale-highlights-investor-push-hong-kong-student-housing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3347571/regals-us194-million-hotel-sale-highlights-investor-push-hong-kong-student-housing?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 08:13:39 +0000 Vivian Au Vivian Au Hong Kong’s Northern Metropolis megaproject near the border with mainland China will adopt laws to streamline land approval procedures from nine to two months in a move to speed up its development, the South China Morning Post has learned. Sources said that details of the dedicated legislation for the Northern Metropolis would be announced on Tuesday, with a major highlight being the shortening of land-use approval procedures. These measures align with the newly unveiled 15th national five-year... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3346791/northern-metropolis-streamline-land-approval-process-9-2-months-sources?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3346791/northern-metropolis-streamline-land-approval-process-9-2-months-sources?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Mar 2026 13:39:50 +0000 Peggy Ye,Cao Li Peggy Ye,Cao Li Buyers snapped up most of the nearly 400 new homes released for sale in Hong Kong on Saturday, offering an early gauge of housing demand in one of the biggest launches since the Chinese New Year holiday. As of 7:30pm, about 310 of the 360 units released at Chinachem Group’s Zendo House in Tsim Sha Tsui and Wing Tai Properties’ Cloudview in Sheung Shui had been sold, according to Centaline Property. Louis Chan Wing-kit, vice-chairman and president of the agency, said confidence in Hong Kong’s... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3346584/developers-roll-out-360-flats-two-hong-kong-projects-amid-improving-sentiment?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3346584/developers-roll-out-360-flats-two-hong-kong-projects-amid-improving-sentiment?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Mar 2026 05:40:16 +0000 Kolette Lim Kolette Lim Singapore is preparing to build its tallest public housing project yet with some blocks rising above 60 storeys in the historic Chinatown area, in a sign of the city state pushing for higher density in prime areas to meet demand. Such super-tall developments are unlikely to become the norm, according to analysts, who cite higher construction costs, site constraints and tighter regulations aimed at preventing centrally located flats from becoming speculative investments. Singapore would build the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3346379/some-singapore-flats-above-60-storeys-horizon-will-owners-face-tighter-curbs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3346379/some-singapore-flats-above-60-storeys-horizon-will-owners-face-tighter-curbs?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Mar 2026 10:41:54 +0000 Peggy Ye Peggy Ye A Singapore-rooted property family has put a rare residential estate in Hong Kong’s Southern district up for tender at about HK$300 million (US$38.4 million), testing demand for trophy homes as the city’s luxury housing market shows early signs of recovery despite soft prices. The tender for Belvedere, a low-density compound in Chung Hom Kok, would close at noon on April 28, according to marketing agent JLL. The property had been held by Remadour Estate since 1993, Land Registry records... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3346004/singapore-property-clan-puts-rare-hong-kong-estate-us384-million-tender?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3346004/singapore-property-clan-puts-rare-hong-kong-estate-us384-million-tender?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Mar 2026 00:30:08 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial It says something about Hong Kong’s housing woes that a new law mandating basic living standards finally came into effect this month. The ban on “substandard” subdivided flats must be carefully implemented so that it serves the purpose of providing safe and decent living spaces for low-income tenants rather than triggering mass evictions and homelessness. The shock waves triggered by the Basic Housing Units Ordinance were already being felt before the law came into effect as renovations by... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3345230/hong-kong-must-ensure-law-basic-housing-serves-its-intended-purpose?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3345230/hong-kong-must-ensure-law-basic-housing-serves-its-intended-purpose?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Mar 2026 22:45:08 +0000 Peggy Ye Peggy Ye Hong Kong’s cash-for-residency scheme has attracted about HK$95 billion (US$12 billion) from more than 1,700 investors over the past two years, with around two-thirds of the approved capital channelled into authorised funds and equities, the latest figures from InvestHK show. The government’s investment promotion arm on Monday released the figures for the New Capital Investment Entrant Scheme (New CIES), designed to encourage high-net-worth individuals to invest in Hong Kong, bringing both... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3345102/hong-kongs-new-cash-residency-scheme-draws-us12-billion-first-2-years?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3345102/hong-kongs-new-cash-residency-scheme-draws-us12-billion-first-2-years?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Mar 2026 06:44:45 +0000 Cao Li Cao Li A subsidiary of state-owned conglomerate China Resources (Holdings) has acquired a Hong Kong hotel and plans to convert it into student housing amid a wave of investments driven by rising demand after the city raised the cap on non-local students. CR Longdation signed an agreement to buy four-star hotel Hotel Cozi Oasis in Kwai Chung, a major industrial and residential area in the southwestern New Territories, for HK$953 million (US$122 million), said Colliers and Knight Frank, which advised on... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3345026/china-resources-subsidiary-acquires-hong-kong-hotel-student-housing-project?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3345026/china-resources-subsidiary-acquires-hong-kong-hotel-student-housing-project?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Mar 2026 12:00:14 +0000 Edith Lin Edith Lin Some Hong Kong landlords have spent millions renovating their subdivided flats to be among the first to meet the new standards coming into effect on Sunday, but many others remain taken aback by the high costs and are unsure whether to proceed. Building experts have also warned of the challenges facing landlords seeking certification under the new law, including meeting waterproofing and fire safety requirements, which will require professional advice and supervision. Matthew Lau Chi-kwong, a... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3344935/hong-kong-landlords-split-over-costly-upgrades-meet-subdivided-housing-law?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3344935/hong-kong-landlords-split-over-costly-upgrades-meet-subdivided-housing-law?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Feb 2026 00:00:15 +0000 Peggy Ye Peggy Ye Edwin Leong Siu-hung, chairman of Tai Hung Fai Enterprise Group and long dubbed Hong Kong’s “king of shops”, has sold a flat in the ultra-exclusive Mount Nicholson enclave on The Peak, saying weak rental returns did not make it worthwhile to hold the property any longer. Land Registry records showed Leong sold the 4,566 sq ft four-bedroom flat for HK$323 million (US$41.3 million), or about HK$70,740 per square foot. He bought the property in 2016 for about HK$312 million. While the selling price... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3344861/hong-kongs-king-shops-edwin-leong-sells-home-peak-us413-million?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3344861/hong-kongs-king-shops-edwin-leong-sells-home-peak-us413-million?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Feb 2026 08:28:24 +0000 Peggy Ye Peggy Ye The increase in stamp duty on ultra-luxury homes above HK$100 million (US$12.8 million) is unlikely to change buying behaviour, analysts said, as the structural forces underpinning demand from mainland Chinese buyers could outweigh the impact of the rise in transaction costs. The Hong Kong government, in the annual budget on Wednesday, increased the tax rate on residential transactions above HK$100 million to 6.5 per cent from 4.25 per cent amid a surge in demand for high-end property from... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3344762/hong-kongs-65-stamp-duty-will-not-stop-luxury-homebuyers-mainland-china-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3344762/hong-kongs-65-stamp-duty-will-not-stop-luxury-homebuyers-mainland-china-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Feb 2026 23:30:07 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal May Chan is looking for a home that she can call her own. The freelancer wants to buy a flat, but high mortgage rates as well as uncertainty in the property market kept her from taking the plunge. “I would like to buy a flat, if I can afford it,” she said. “It would certainly help if there are discounts.” Now that mortgage rates have stabilised and there is less uncertainty about property prices, she hopes to find a reasonably priced home. With Hong Kong’s residential property market stabilising... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3344098/hong-kong-homebuyers-face-dwindling-discounts-property-market-stabilises?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3344098/hong-kong-homebuyers-face-dwindling-discounts-property-market-stabilises?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Feb 2026 01:30:13 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Hong Kong’s residential property market made gradual and steady gains in the Year of the Snake, with the momentum set to continue in the Year of the Horse, according to the city’s largest real estate agencies. “The Year of the Snake marked the end of three years of decline and a strong rebound fuelled by policy easing and wealth effect [from the Hong Kong stock market’s gain],” said Derek Chan Hoi-chiu, head of research at Ricacorp Properties. “The Year of the Horse will build on the momentum,”... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3344141/hong-kongs-property-market-build-gains-year-horse-agents-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3344141/hong-kongs-property-market-build-gains-year-horse-agents-say?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Feb 2026 10:00:16 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren China’s more than 100,000 home furnishing companies - most of which are micro businesses - have entered a tumultuous phase as a property slump and persistent deflationary pressure prevent them from making profits. With no property resurgence in sight, the industry, which employs millions of labourers across the country, was likely to see thousands of players expelled from the highly competitive market this year, according to company officials and analysts. “Involution is the name of the game in... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3343827/sofa-so-bad-chinas-home-furnishing-sector-hits-do-or-die-moment?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3343827/sofa-so-bad-chinas-home-furnishing-sector-hits-do-or-die-moment?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Feb 2026 02:00:09 +0000 Reuters Reuters Thailand’s economy grew faster than expected last quarter, prompting the government to raise its 2026 outlook and bolstering hopes for a gradual recovery despite lingering economic challenges. Gross domestic product grew 2.5 per cent in the October-December quarter from a year ‌earlier, boosted by stronger domestic demand and investment, the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC) said on Monday. That outstripped annual growth of 1.2 per cent in the September quarter and beat a... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3343736/thailands-economy-rebounds-despite-tourism-decline-pandemic?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3343736/thailands-economy-rebounds-despite-tourism-decline-pandemic?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Feb 2026 08:51:18 +0000 Zhu Wenqian Zhu Wenqian Local government support has lifted sentiment in China’s struggling property sector ahead of the spring sales season, but analysts remain divided on the outlook as structural pressures persist. New and existing home prices across 70 major mainland cities fell at a slower pace month on month in January, while annual declines widened, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on Friday. New home prices in the four tier-one cities dropped 2.1 per cent year on year, 0.4... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3343581/policy-backing-steadies-china-property-outlook-full-rebound-still-elusive?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3343581/policy-backing-steadies-china-property-outlook-full-rebound-still-elusive?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Feb 2026 01:30:13 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings Fiscal strains are forcing Chinese provinces to slash their budget-revenue expectations for 2026 due to the knock-on effects of a five-year property market slump, and analysts cite the shift as a warning sign that intense debt pressures continue to drag down the nation’s economic growth outlook. Major provinces are budgeting for 2 to 3 per cent growth this year in general public operating revenue, broadly in line with last year but below broader economic growth targets, Fitch Ratings said in a... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3343499/chinese-provinces-slash-revenue-outlook-analysts-warn-debt-control?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3343499/chinese-provinces-slash-revenue-outlook-analysts-warn-debt-control?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Feb 2026 15:00:08 +0000 Zhu Wenqian Zhu Wenqian Mainland China’s new and existing home prices posted a smaller month-on-month decline in January, but the annual drop widened, indicating a housing market that has yet to find a clear floor, analysts said. Commercial residential prices across 70 major cities fell at a slower pace from December on a monthly basis, while new-home prices in the four tier-one cities dropped 2.1 per cent year on year, 0.4 percentage points steeper than the previous month, according to data released by the National... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3343442/china-housing-market-shows-no-clear-turning-point-price-declines-continue?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3343442/china-housing-market-shows-no-clear-turning-point-price-declines-continue?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Feb 2026 07:00:44 +0000 CNA CNA The median monthly household income in Singapore rose to S$12,446 (US$9,250) last year, up from S$11,558 the year before, an increase of 6.8 per cent after adjusting for inflation. After accounting for household size, the median monthly household income per household member rose by 7.5 per cent in real terms, from S$3,837 in 2024 to S$4,160 in 2025. The figures were released on Monday in the Key Household Income Trends 2025 paper by the Singapore Department of Statistics (Singstat). In a video... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3342918/singapore-wage-growth-outpaced-inflation-most-2025-wong-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3342918/singapore-wage-growth-outpaced-inflation-most-2025-wong-says?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Feb 2026 09:06:41 +0000 Nicholas Spiro Nicholas Spiro Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has her work cut out for her. Among the daunting challenges confronting her after winning a resounding victory in a parliamentary election on February 8, tackling the rising cost of living is at the top of her political to-do list. Mounting concerns about the dramatic rise in property prices in Tokyo and other large cities have proved fertile ground for scapegoating, with immigration figuring prominently in election campaigns. Last year, the average price... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3342877/asian-property-markets-supply-constraints-are-double-edged-sword?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3342877/asian-property-markets-supply-constraints-are-double-edged-sword?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Feb 2026 08:31:02 +0000 Michael Han Michael Han For five years, China’s real estate sector has been defined by a punishing narrative of default and contraction. This era of discipline reached a pivotal threshold when China Vanke, the industry’s bellwether, recorded an 82 billion yuan (US$11.8 billion) loss. Crucially, this disclosure arrived only a few days after a strategic injection from its largest shareholder, Shenzhen Metro Group. The timing of the 2.36 billion yuan lifeline was a deliberate signal. By restoring ties right before the... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3342182/chinas-real-estate-rethink-can-help-end-developers-debt-addiction?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3342182/chinas-real-estate-rethink-can-help-end-developers-debt-addiction?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Feb 2026 08:30:39 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Hong Kong’s property transactions slipped in January, official data showed, but agents are betting on a Lunar New Year “mini-boom” after several new-home launches sold out in recent weeks. Deals covering new and existing homes, offices, shops, car parking spaces and industrial units fell 15.2 per cent month on month to 7,631, while transaction value declined 12 per cent to about HK$57.25 billion (US$7.3 billion). “With both the economy and stock market performing well, coupled with steadily... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3342223/hong-kong-home-sales-slide-january-agents-eye-lunar-new-year-mini-boom?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3342223/hong-kong-home-sales-slide-january-agents-eye-lunar-new-year-mini-boom?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Feb 2026 11:00:38 +0000 Zhu Wenqian Zhu Wenqian In a move to bolster the stability of the property market, Shanghai unveiled a plan to buy second-hand homes for use as public rental housing, with the move timed to coincide with the opening of the city’s annual “two sessions” meetings. With the official launch of a pilot programme on Monday, the city aims to meet rental demand from young residents including college students and new urban arrivals. The initiative will roll out first in the downtown districts of Pudong, Jing’an and Xuhui. Backed... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3342204/shanghai-buy-second-hand-homes-rental-housing-pilot-support-property-market?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3342204/shanghai-buy-second-hand-homes-rental-housing-pilot-support-property-market?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Feb 2026 06:45:34 +0000 Nicholas Spiro Nicholas Spiro Hong Kong has its mojo back. The city’s economy grew 3.5 per cent last year, the fastest pace since 2021, according to an advanced estimate published by the Census and Statistics Department on January 30. A sharp increase in exports, the unexpected driver of growth in many Asian economies last year, was a key factor in Hong Kong’s resurgence. The rebound was underpinned by the dramatic revival in the city’s capital markets. Share sales nearly quadrupled last year to more than US$73 billion... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3342044/hong-kongs-housing-market-recovery-rests-solid-foundations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3342044/hong-kongs-housing-market-recovery-rests-solid-foundations?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Feb 2026 08:30:08 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal For business owner Tracy Sung, flat-hunting in Hong Kong was complicated by two things – her pets and the intense competition in the rental market. Sung, who used to live in a 500 sq ft flat in Happy Valley, had to offer more than the landlord’s asking price to secure an 800 sq ft property in Tseung Kwan O. The 28-year-old is paying about HK$35,000 (US$4,480) a month for her new home, compared with HK$28,000 previously. The neighbourhood in Hang Hau offered what she considered the most... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3341982/soaring-hong-kong-rents-tenants-pay-more-and-fight-shrinking-space?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3341982/soaring-hong-kong-rents-tenants-pay-more-and-fight-shrinking-space?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Feb 2026 10:00:14 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Sun Hung Kai Properties (SHKP), Hong Kong’s largest developer by market capitalisation, sold all 350 units released on Sunday in its Sierra Sea project, marking a fifth consecutive sell-out and underscoring returning buyer appetite in the world’s most expensive property market. The batch at phase 2B included 244 two-bedroom and 106 three-bedroom units, with discounted prices ranging from HK$4.6 million (US$590,000) to HK$9.74 million, according to sales documents released on Wednesday. The... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3341986/hong-kongs-shkp-rolls-out-350-sierra-sea-flats-after-sell-outs-worlds-priciest-market?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3341986/hong-kongs-shkp-rolls-out-350-sierra-sea-flats-after-sell-outs-worlds-priciest-market?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Feb 2026 09:00:12 +0000 Zhu Wenqian Zhu Wenqian Chinese companies are driving a fresh wave of investment in overseas properties, with new energy industrial facilities, cross-border e-commerce logistics centres, and smart city projects becoming investment hotspots, Knight Frank has said. Traditional residential development was on the wane, while industrial property, logistics real estate and commercial complexes were emerging as core investment priorities, according to a January report by the London-based property consultancy. It forecast that... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3341527/chinese-firms-are-scoping-out-overseas-property-what-catching-their-eye?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3341527/chinese-firms-are-scoping-out-overseas-property-what-catching-their-eye?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Feb 2026 08:00:10 +0000 Francis Neoton Cheung Francis Neoton Cheung When Hong Kong’s Housing Authority launched the Tenants Purchase Scheme (TPS) in 1998, it embodied the city’s aspiration of home ownership for all. Then the chief executive, Tung Chee-hwa, envisioned public housing tenants buying their flats at a discount, transforming renters into homeowners. That year, the first batch of 25,000 flats was rolled out. In total, 39 estates were included, offering 184,036 flats. The latest Housing Authority data shows that 154,743 of these were sold to tenants. On... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3341588/hong-kong-must-fix-tenants-purchase-schemes-flaws-any-relaunch?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3341588/hong-kong-must-fix-tenants-purchase-schemes-flaws-any-relaunch?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Feb 2026 01:30:07 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Hong Kong developer Hang Lung Properties is pinning its medium-term outlook on a recovery in mainland Chinese consumption, even as it warned that both the city’s and China’s property markets remain under strain. The commercial landlord, residential developer and hotel owner said it expected a “tough slog” for the broader sector despite signs of improvement in operating conditions, particularly in the second half of the year. Net profit attributable to shareholders fell 16 per cent to HK$1.8... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3341858/hang-lung-flags-tough-slog-property-it-looks-mainland-malls-growth?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3341858/hang-lung-flags-tough-slog-property-it-looks-mainland-malls-growth?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 Jan 2026 11:08:14 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Hong Kong’s lived-in home prices ended a three-year downturn with a 3.25 per cent increase in 2025, as the property market gallops into the new year buoyed by expectations of more transactions and further price gains, according to analysts. Rents climbed to a record high in December, boosting annual gains to 4.26 per cent in 2025 and marking a third consecutive year of increase, according to the Rating and Valuation Department on Wednesday. “Hong Kong’s residential market strengthened notably... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3341501/hong-kong-home-prices-snap-3-year-downturn-rents-surge-new-high?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3341501/hong-kong-home-prices-snap-3-year-downturn-rents-surge-new-high?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 Jan 2026 05:17:37 +0000 Peggy Ye Peggy Ye Hong Kong’s housing market may be on the verge of a sharp rebound and a new upcycle after four years of decline, according to Praveen Choudhary, head of Asia gaming, Hong Kong and India property research at Morgan Stanley. Choudhary expects home prices to rise about 10 per cent in 2026 – among the most bullish forecasts for a market that has fallen roughly 30 per cent from a peak in 2021. For him, the call is less about a single year’s gain and more about a shift in the cycle after years of... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3340953/all-signs-point-rebound-hong-kongs-housing-market-morgan-stanley-analyst?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3340953/all-signs-point-rebound-hong-kongs-housing-market-morgan-stanley-analyst?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 25 Jan 2026 02:00:15 +0000 Peggy Ye Peggy Ye Complaints against Hong Kong property agents jumped 56 per cent in 2025, outpacing the rise in property transactions, as a reviving housing market exposed pressure points in industry practices, according to the Estate Agents Authority (EAA). The EAA said it opened 253 complaint cases in 2025, up from 162 in 2024, even as overall residential transactions rose 18.3 per cent year on year. The faster growth in complaints suggests tensions between agents and consumers intensified more sharply than... https://www.scmp.com/property/article/3340865/complaints-against-hong-kong-property-agents-outpace-home-sales-market-rebounds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/property/article/3340865/complaints-against-hong-kong-property-agents-outpace-home-sales-market-rebounds?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Jan 2026 11:00:23 +0000 Peggy Ye Peggy Ye Hong Kong is testing purpose-built student housing as an alternative land-sale model, as weak demand for commercial sites pushes the government to explore uses that can still attract investor interest. The Development Bureau on Tuesday invited expressions of interest (EOI) for student hostel development on three commercially zoned sites in Kai Tak, Siu Lek Yuen in Sha Tin, and Tung Chung East, marking the first time the government had proposed selling land through open tender with use restricted... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3340776/hong-kong-tests-student-housing-land-sales-office-market-slowdown-curbs-tenders?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3340776/hong-kong-tests-student-housing-land-sales-office-market-slowdown-curbs-tenders?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Jan 2026 06:00:27 +0000 Cao Li Cao Li Home prices in mainland China continued to decline at a rapid pace in December, posing challenges for an economy that is struggling to find new growth drivers. New home prices fell 0.4 per cent month on month on average across 70 cities, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on Monday. The fall matched November’s drop and was among the steepest in more than a year. Prices slipped 3 per cent year on year in December, accelerating from a 2.8 per cent drop in November. Only... https://www.scmp.com/property/article/3340369/mainland-chinas-home-prices-extend-slide-adding-strain-struggling-property-sector?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/property/article/3340369/mainland-chinas-home-prices-extend-slide-adding-strain-struggling-property-sector?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Jan 2026 04:14:19 +0000 Alice Li Alice Li China’s property downturn and sluggish consumer spending have become twin anchors weighing down the economy over the past few years. Now, scholars at a top Beijing university are proposing a measure they believe could ease both problems: a mortgage subsidy. The Tsinghua University economists have called for the introduction of mortgage interest rate subsidies as part of a wider effort to stabilise the property market, arguing that arresting the decline in housing prices will be critical to... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3339874/why-mortgage-subsidies-could-be-key-getting-chinas-consumers-spending?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3339874/why-mortgage-subsidies-could-be-key-getting-chinas-consumers-spending?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 14 Jan 2026 14:00:21 +0000 Michael Han Michael Han For years, Beijing attempted to trade flats for microchips, a bold effort to rewire the economy. But 2025 showed that a hi-tech superstructure cannot be built on the crumbling foundation of a middle-class balance sheet. Now, in the opening 2026 issue of Qiushi, the Communist Party’s most influential journal, a new signal has emerged, indicating that the leadership is prepared to halt the decline. A key commentary in the journal presents a notable analytical shift. It reaffirms real estate as a... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3339640/china-set-double-down-property-market-stability?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3339640/china-set-double-down-property-market-stability?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 14 Jan 2026 08:30:15 +0000 Zhu Wenqian Zhu Wenqian Distressed Chinese property developer Vanke’s potential debt restructuring constitutes a one-off, technical default, and was not likely to result in contagion effects, according to an HSBC report. The leading mainland developer before it got caught up in the property crisis, Vanke has not yet registered a material default on its domestic bonds. However, two of its key medium-term notes have entered grace periods, and S&P downgraded the company’s long-term issuer credit rating from “CCC-” to “SD”... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3339624/expect-no-systemic-shock-chinese-developer-vankes-technical-default-hsbc?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3339624/expect-no-systemic-shock-chinese-developer-vankes-technical-default-hsbc?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 13 Jan 2026 00:30:10 +0000 Nicholas Spiro Nicholas Spiro For a region that was expected to bear the brunt of US President Donald Trump’s tariff blitz, Asia’s economies performed remarkably well last year. JPMorgan said Asia “dodged a bullet”. However, in the region’s real estate industry, there are other bullets to fear. In the housing market, the severity of the deterioration in affordability is matched only by the futility of many of the policies aimed at improving it. It is not a coincidence that five of the six cities with the fastest rates of... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3339542/affordability-japan-data-centres-what-will-drive-asian-property-2026?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3339542/affordability-japan-data-centres-what-will-drive-asian-property-2026?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Jan 2026 08:30:09 +0000