https://www.scmp.com/rss/96/feed Property market news, advice on moving house, lettings and new homes. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal DBS Bank (Hong Kong) has agreed to pay about HK$2.62 billion (US$334 million) for six floors at The Center – once the world’s most expensive skyscraper – marking the city’s largest office transaction so far this year. The lender acquired the 32nd, 36th, 37th, 56th, 62nd and 76th floors late last month, with the deal registered on Tuesday, according to Land Registry records. The purchase adds 151,934 sq ft of gross floor area, DBS said in a statement on Wednesday. The price works out to roughly... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3350140/dbs-hong-kong-acquires-six-floors-center-us334-million-deal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3350140/dbs-hong-kong-acquires-six-floors-center-us334-million-deal?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 06:50:31 +0000 Peggy Ye Peggy Ye Mainland buyers are playing an increasingly prominent role in Hong Kong’s housing market rebound, supported by a stronger yuan, rising rents and an influx of new arrivals shifting from tenants to homeowners. Transactions involving mainland buyers rose 53 per cent year on year to 3,882 units across the primary and secondary markets in the first quarter, according to Midland Realty, citing Land Registry data. The value of those purchases jumped 93 per cent to HK$42.7 billion (US$5.5 billion). The... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3350070/mainland-buyers-fuel-93-cent-surge-hong-kong-property-deal-value?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3350070/mainland-buyers-fuel-93-cent-surge-hong-kong-property-deal-value?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 23:00:15 +0000 Zhu Wenqian Zhu Wenqian China Evergrande Group’s founder and former chairman Hui Ka-yan pleaded guilty to charges including embezzlement of corporate assets and corporate bribery, according to a statement issued by the Shenzhen Intermediate People’s Court. The trial was held on Monday and Tuesday, and the court said it would issue its judgment at a later date. The charges against Hui and Evergrande also included illegally absorbing public deposits, fundraising fraud, illegal loan issuance, fraudulent issuance of... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3349990/founder-chinas-evergrande-group-hui-ka-yan-pleads-guilty-fraud-trial?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3349990/founder-chinas-evergrande-group-hui-ka-yan-pleads-guilty-fraud-trial?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 04:26:24 +0000 Nicholas Spiro Nicholas Spiro Singapore is at the sharp end of the energy crisis. Imported natural gas accounts for an estimated 95 per cent of the city state’s electricity generation. According to Nomura, Singapore is the fourth most vulnerable Asian economy to the energy shock emanating from the war in Iran, based on a set of criteria that includes the share of fossil fuels in energy consumption and the proportion of energy imports from the Gulf. Last month, Singapore’s Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said the... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3349845/why-singapores-property-slowdown-envy-rest-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3349845/why-singapores-property-slowdown-envy-rest-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2026 08:30:08 +0000 Zhu Wenqian Zhu Wenqian Shanghai’s secondary housing market surged over the weekend, with 1,632 transactions on Saturday – the highest daily total in five years – as activity in higher-value properties picked up. Analysts, however, remained cautious about how long the rebound could last, warning that performance was likely to diverge across cities, regions and individual projects. The latest tally surpassed earlier peaks this year, including 1,585 transactions on March 28 and 1,472 on March 14, according to the... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3349885/shanghai-home-sales-hit-5-year-high-spring-surge-outlook-stays-fragile?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3349885/shanghai-home-sales-hit-5-year-high-spring-surge-outlook-stays-fragile?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2026 08:02:45 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren China’s tea-drink market, with estimated annual sales of 370 billion yuan (US$54.2 billion), has become yet another example of involution as brutal price competition threatens to expel thousands of unprofitable small players. The dire scenario represents a rude reminder to those who hope to strike it rich by investing in a fast-growing business in mainland China’s vast consumer market, which abounds with boom-to-bust cycles. “Bubble tea is a dynamic market, and it is never easy to make money... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3349847/chinas-tea-drink-shops-thirst-profits-price-wars-dry-prospects?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3349847/chinas-tea-drink-shops-thirst-profits-price-wars-dry-prospects?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2026 04:35:43 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Hong Kong’s reputation as a safe haven could be reinforced by the geopolitical shock waves from the US-Israel conflict with Iran, potentially supporting demand for premium office space in its core business districts, according to analysts. While the city was not insulated from global uncertainty, it could benefit over the medium term as Gulf investors reassessed geographic diversification and sought stable financial hubs, said Jack Tong, director of research and consultancy at Savills Hong... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3349700/geopolitical-tensions-may-bolster-hong-kong-office-demand-gulf-capital-looks-east?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3349700/geopolitical-tensions-may-bolster-hong-kong-office-demand-gulf-capital-looks-east?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2026 01:00:11 +0000 Peggy Ye Peggy Ye While Hong Kong developers have accelerated project launches following the Easter holiday, primary home sales are settling into a measured phase following an earlier surge in demand. The shift is evident at La Mirabelle I in Tseung Kwan O, where Sino Land and its partners released a third batch of units on Sunday. Buyers snapped up 71 of the 261 units on offer, pointing to less urgent demand than in earlier rounds. The latest batch comprises 33 one-bedroom units, 178 two-bedroom units and 50... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3349784/hong-kong-home-sales-outlook-firm-even-demand-ebbs-tseung-kwan-o-project?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3349784/hong-kong-home-sales-outlook-firm-even-demand-ebbs-tseung-kwan-o-project?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Apr 2026 07:30:17 +0000 Peggy Ye Peggy Ye Jardine Matheson is giving up its remaining office space in FWD Tower at Taikoo Place and plans to relocate staff back to Jardine House in Central as part of operational consolidation, sources said. The move reflects a wider trend of companies consolidating into the core district, where demand for premium office space has been strengthening. The group’s primary office at Jardine House, part of its own property portfolio, “is now undergoing renovations to create a modern workspace that will... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3349602/jardine-matheson-exit-swires-taikoo-place-consolidate-offices-central-sources?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3349602/jardine-matheson-exit-swires-taikoo-place-consolidate-offices-central-sources?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 04:05:07 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Hong Kong developers are preparing to launch nearly 1,300 units in the coming days and weeks, with some edging up prices amid improving homebuying sentiment. On Sunday, 261 units at La Mirabelle I will be released, with average prices ranging from HK$15,335 (US$1,958) to HK$19,613 per square foot after discounts of up to 15 per cent, according to Sino Land, one of the project’s developers. The pricing marks a 1 per cent increase on the previous batch, which Sino said reflected the quality of the... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3349556/hong-kong-developers-roll-out-1300-homes-prices-edge-firmer-demand?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3349556/hong-kong-developers-roll-out-1300-homes-prices-edge-firmer-demand?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 23:00:09 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Hong Kong homebuyers flocked to the second round of new flat sales at the La Mirabelle I project in Tseung Kwan O on Tuesday, underscoring continuing demand for property amid escalating tensions in the Middle East. Of the 168 units offered via a price list, 152 had been sold as of 6.40pm, according to Sino Land. A further 86 flats were made available by tender. Sino is one of the project’s co-developers. The launch generated more than HK$1.1 billion (US$140 million) in revenue, the developer... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3349223/hong-kong-property-launch-sees-brisk-sales-buyers-unfazed-trumps-iran-warning?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3349223/hong-kong-property-launch-sees-brisk-sales-buyers-unfazed-trumps-iran-warning?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2026 05:26:19 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Hong Kong developers are raising prices of new homes this week following sold-out launches in recent days, further testing the appetite of homebuyers amid geopolitical and interest rate uncertainties. Henderson Land Development put another 39 units at its Chester project in Hung Hom on sale on Monday, with 25 homes finding buyers, according to agents. With an average discounted price of HK$22,198 (US$2,831) per square foot, the units were priced 4.57 per cent higher than the 123 units that sold... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3349172/hong-kong-developers-test-homebuyers-modest-price-increases-after-sell-outs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3349172/hong-kong-developers-test-homebuyers-modest-price-increases-after-sell-outs?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Apr 2026 10:30:44 +0000 Peggy Ye Peggy Ye Rents in Hong Kong’s luxury housing market are rising as supply tightens, with returning overseas professionals heating up the competition to secure prime homes. The rebound is most evident in traditional upscale districts such as The Peak and Southside, where leasing activity has picked up sharply this year. Transactions reached 108 in the first quarter, with more than 40 per cent involving monthly rents above HK$100,000 (US$12,760), according to Midland Realty. At the centre of the surge is... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3349068/return-overseas-hires-meets-tighter-housing-supply-driving-hong-kong-luxury-rents?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3349068/return-overseas-hires-meets-tighter-housing-supply-driving-hong-kong-luxury-rents?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Apr 2026 02:00:08 +0000 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 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 Peggy Ye Peggy Ye Veteran Hong Kong sports administrator Lawrence Yu Kam-kee is selling his Kowloon Tong home of over 50 years for about HK$190 million (US$24.2 million), after waiting patiently for market conditions to improve. “I had wanted to sell for a long time but waited until the market improved a bit to get a better price,” Yu told the South China Morning Post. He added that he had moved out of the house about a year ago as it was too large for a single occupant. The sale agreement had been signed and a... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3348677/hong-kong-home-bought-52-years-ago-fetches-owner-252-times-return?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3348677/hong-kong-home-bought-52-years-ago-fetches-owner-252-times-return?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 00:30:08 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Prime office supply in mainland Chinese cities and Hong Kong is estimated to peak this year, while demand remains hampered by an economic slowdown and global uncertainties, according to Cushman & Wakefield. At the end of 2025, premium office inventory in 21 major cities in Greater China – including Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Guangzhou, as well as Taiwan – amounted to 99.2 million square metres (1.07 billion sq ft), up 4.6 million square metres or 8.4 per cent from a year earlier,... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3348648/mainland-china-hong-kong-premium-office-supply-peak-demand-lags-cushman-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3348648/mainland-china-hong-kong-premium-office-supply-peak-demand-lags-cushman-says?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 08:30:13 +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 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Homebuyers continued to signal confidence in Hong Kong’s residential market on Saturday, brushing off global economic risks tied to the Middle East conflict and expectations of slower interest rate cuts, as a new project by Henderson Land Development sold out within hours. All 123 units at Chester, the fifth phase of the Midtown South redevelopment in Hung Hom, were snapped up, according to property agents. “About 60 per cent of buyers are end users while about 40 per cent are investors and... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3348249/hung-hom-flats-sell-out-hong-kong-homebuyers-brush-aside-middle-east-risks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3348249/hung-hom-flats-sell-out-hong-kong-homebuyers-brush-aside-middle-east-risks?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Mar 2026 09:40:15 +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 Hong Kong’s lived-in home prices rose 1.6 per cent in February, marking the 11th straight month of positive movement for the residential property segment, as the city’s rents scaled another peak, according to official data. Since reversing a downward trend in April, second-hand home prices had climbed nearly 8 per cent so far, bringing the official index to a 22-month high, according to data released on Friday by the Rating and Valuation Department. The latest monthly increment was also larger... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3348081/hong-kong-home-prices-surge-near-two-year-high-iran-war-clouds-outlook?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3348081/hong-kong-home-prices-surge-near-two-year-high-iran-war-clouds-outlook?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 04:04:50 +0000 Peggy Ye Peggy Ye Turkey’s largest private bank plans to set up a Hong Kong office, according to sources familiar with the matter, in a move that underscores the city’s role as a gateway for lenders seeking to connect China and Asian markets with the Middle East. Turkiye Is Bankasi’s board approved the Hong Kong expansion plan two months ago and the lender was awaiting clearance from Turkish authorities before formally approaching the Hong Kong Monetary Authority for a banking licence, the sources said. If... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3347700/turkeys-biggest-private-bank-plans-hong-kong-entry-amid-middle-east-tensions-sources?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3347700/turkeys-biggest-private-bank-plans-hong-kong-entry-amid-middle-east-tensions-sources?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 02:30:09 +0000 Peggy Ye Peggy Ye Major Hong Kong developers Henderson Land Development and Kerry Properties both reported mixed 2025 results, with stronger home sales partly offsetting softer rental income and a subdued commercial property market. The earnings underscored how the city’s developers are shifting focus towards projects that can still generate cash flow, mainly high-end housing in Hong Kong and top-tier mainland cities, while waiting for offices and retail to recover. Recent geopolitical tensions, including the... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3347616/hong-kongs-henderson-land-trims-dividend-iran-clouds-outlook-china-slump-lingers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3347616/hong-kongs-henderson-land-trims-dividend-iran-clouds-outlook-china-slump-lingers?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 11:51:28 +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 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Hongkonger Katie Chan was hoping to buy a flat to live in, and although the 37-year-old accountant was in no rush, the potential longer pause in interest rate cuts could delay her decision. For Chan, the ideal mortgage would be if the one-month Hong Kong interbank offered rate (Hibor) fell below 1.95 per cent, but this year the key driver for local mortgage costs and corporate borrowing rates had only dropped to as low as 2.02 per cent, according to data tracked by the Hong Kong Association of... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3347469/potential-rate-cut-pause-geopolitical-tensions-may-cloud-hong-kong-property-recovery?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3347469/potential-rate-cut-pause-geopolitical-tensions-may-cloud-hong-kong-property-recovery?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Mar 2026 23:30:16 +0000 Peggy Ye Peggy Ye Retailers and restaurant operators in Hong Kong are rethinking how they use space as rents fall and demand weakens by moving back to street-level shops and experimenting with short-term “pop-up” leases. Hong Kong Hing Kee Java Edible Bird’s Nest (HK JEBN), known locally as “Lau Soeng” – Cantonese for “upstairs” – built its business by avoiding expensive street-front rents and operating from higher floors. It is now doing the opposite. “After the pandemic, the retail market has been weak,” said... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3347466/upstairs-moves-downstairs-hong-kong-outlets-head-street-level-landlords-cut-rents?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3347466/upstairs-moves-downstairs-hong-kong-outlets-head-street-level-landlords-cut-rents?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Mar 2026 07:30:09 +0000 Peggy Ye Peggy Ye Lo Ying-sui, a younger brother of Great Eagle Holdings’ chairman Lo Ka-shui, has started selling residential units in a sign that some investors prefer to maintain liquidity amid an uncertain property market cycle. Land Registry records showed a unit registered under Joy Eagle was sold to King Faith International for HK$19 million (US$2.4 million) on March 17. A company search showed that Joy Eagle’s directors include Lo Ying-sui and his wife Lim Boon Tuang Lynda. Lo is also a non-executive... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3347311/brother-great-eagle-chairman-offloads-residential-assets-amid-hong-kong-market-recovery?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3347311/brother-great-eagle-chairman-offloads-residential-assets-amid-hong-kong-market-recovery?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Mar 2026 09:30:08 +0000 Zhu Wenqian,Cheryl Arcibal Zhu Wenqian,Cheryl Arcibal Prime office vacancy rates in Hong Kong’s main business district dropped to single digits for the first time in 26 months, lifting overall rents in the city’s struggling office property market, according to JLL. The vacancy rate in Central for premium offices fell to 9.9 per cent in February from 10.1 per cent the previous month, the property consultancy said. The last time a single-digit rate was recorded for grade A offices in the district was in December 2023, when it also hit 9.9 per cent,... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3347209/office-vacancy-rate-hong-kongs-central-falls-single-digits-after-2-years?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3347209/office-vacancy-rate-hong-kongs-central-falls-single-digits-after-2-years?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Mar 2026 00:30:12 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal,Peggy Ye Cheryl Arcibal,Peggy Ye CK Hutchison Holdings, one of the flagship companies owned by Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-shing’s family, reported a 7 per cent increase in underlying profit for 2025, as the company predicted its businesses would face “new and perhaps unforeseen challenges” in 2026. The ports-to-telecoms conglomerate said on Thursday that underlying profit reached HK$22.3 billion (US$2.85 ‌billion) last year, compared with HK$20.8 billion a year earlier. Including a one-time ⁠accounting loss, net profit fell... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3347168/hong-kongs-ck-hutchison-reports-7-gain-underlying-profit-amid-unforeseen-challenges?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3347168/hong-kongs-ck-hutchison-reports-7-gain-underlying-profit-amid-unforeseen-challenges?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Mar 2026 09:32:39 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren GLP, a global operator and investor in logistics, digital infrastructure, renewable energy and finance, is deepening its commitment to China’s growth, projecting as much as a 50 per cent rise in logistics rental rates, supported by stronger domestic consumption and wider adoption of alternative energies. Angela Zhao, CEO of GLP China, said the country’s 15th five-year development plan for 2026 to 2030 would further cement the company’s role as a global thematic investor in “new economy”... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3347106/singapore-headquartered-glp-eyes-50-rent-surge-china-demand-fuels-logistics-growth?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3347106/singapore-headquartered-glp-eyes-50-rent-surge-china-demand-fuels-logistics-growth?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Mar 2026 09:00:20 +0000 Enid Tsui Enid Tsui Details of the Shenzhen museum being built by Pony Ma Huateng, co-founder and CEO of internet giant Tencent Holdings, were unveiled on March 17 after months of speculation. In a public letter, Pi Li, the former head of art at Hong Kong’s Tai Kwun, revealed that he is the founding director and first employee of Rong Museum of Art, a cultural institution with around 4,500 square metres (48,400 sq ft) in total floor area that will open in 2027. The name Rong refers to the Chinese character for... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3346881/tencents-pony-ma-open-museum-shenzhen-led-tai-kwuns-former-head-art-pi-li?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3346881/tencents-pony-ma-open-museum-shenzhen-led-tai-kwuns-former-head-art-pi-li?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 09:35:32 +0000 Zhu Wenqian Zhu Wenqian Shanghai has become the latest mainland Chinese city to lower the minimum down payment requirement for loans on commercial-use properties – including shops and business flats – from 50 per cent to at least 30 per cent. Analysts said the move could help reduce excess inventory in the struggling commercial real estate market, though stronger measures might still be needed. “There is still a meaningful gap between the minimum down payment ratio for residential properties and that for mixed-use... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3346878/shanghai-joins-major-cities-loosening-commercial-property-loan-rules?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3346878/shanghai-joins-major-cities-loosening-commercial-property-loan-rules?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 08:30:40 +0000 Peggy Ye Peggy Ye Luxury residential property on Hong Kong’s Peak Road owned by businessman Chan King-wai has been put up for sale by public tender, several years after he acquired it from companies linked to CK group. Marketing agent JLL said on Monday that the adjoining sites at 86, 88 and 90 Peak Road are being offered for joint sale by tender. The residential lots have a combined area of about 28,620 sq ft. The site could attract bids of about HK$70,000 (US$8,939) to HK$100,000 per square foot, said Joseph... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3346780/hong-kong-businessman-expected-take-loss-peak-properties-he-bought-us255m?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3346780/hong-kong-businessman-expected-take-loss-peak-properties-he-bought-us255m?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Mar 2026 11:53:05 +0000 Zhu Wenqian Zhu Wenqian Mainland China’s first-tier new home prices were unchanged month on month in February, ending a nine-month decline, while the year-on-year decline continued to widen from tier one to tier three cities, and analysts said it would be important to watch whether the month-on-month stabilisation can be sustained. New home prices in first-tier cities were flat in February from January – Beijing and Shanghai each rose 0.2 per cent, Guangzhou was unchanged and Shenzhen slipped 0.3 per cent, according to... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3346737/chinas-first-tier-home-prices-stabilise-february-after-9-months-decline?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3346737/chinas-first-tier-home-prices-stabilise-february-after-9-months-decline?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Mar 2026 08:28:36 +0000 Zhu Wenqian Zhu Wenqian Several years ago, prime ground-floor spaces in major shopping malls across Beijing and Shanghai’s business districts were commonly occupied by electric vehicle (EV) showrooms, with staff often escorting customers to car parks for test drives. Many of these stores have now closed amid sluggish EV sales – yet mall owners have not been left disappointed. Instead, a new retail landscape is emerging, filled with tenants who are proving to be even more effective at drawing crowds and boosting rental... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3346537/china-mall-shuffle-evs-exit-whos-filling-ground-floor-showrooms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3346537/china-mall-shuffle-evs-exit-whos-filling-ground-floor-showrooms?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Mar 2026 04:00:12 +0000 Aileen Chuang,Peggy Ye Aileen Chuang,Peggy Ye For Hong Kong’s Topaz Family Office, investing in hotels in Japan holds up as a sound decision even as a Middle East war clouds the macroeconomic environment. The wealth manager has made Japan a central plank of its pivot into hospitality and real estate over the past two years, driven by a sharp post-pandemic tourism rebound. The investment thesis now looks increasingly robust thanks to multiple structural tailwinds and a growing pool of institutional capital flowing into the same trade. “Japan... https://www.scmp.com/business/markets/article/3346535/japan-hotels-keep-luring-hong-kong-families-global-investors-despite-geopolitical-strains?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/markets/article/3346535/japan-hotels-keep-luring-hong-kong-families-global-investors-despite-geopolitical-strains?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Mar 2026 03:00:10 +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 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal JPMorgan Chase has committed to leasing about 250,000 sq ft of space in the new Sun Hung Kai Properties (SHKP) office towers in Hong Kong’s West Kowloon district for 10 years, making the US investment bank the anchor tenant of the 700,000 sq ft mixed-use development, the Hong Kong-listed developer said on Friday. Artist Square Towers (AST) will house the bank’s Kowloon office, which is currently located at The Quayside in Kowloon East, starting in the latter half of 2028, according to an... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3346491/jpmorgan-signs-anchor-tenant-shkps-west-kowloon-office-development?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3346491/jpmorgan-signs-anchor-tenant-shkps-west-kowloon-office-development?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Mar 2026 10:30:08 +0000 Peggy Ye Peggy Ye Swire Properties reported stronger underlying earnings in 2025, as the Hong Kong developer stepped up asset disposals and expanded its mainland China retail portfolio, though weakness in the city’s office market dragged the company into a headline loss. Underlying profit rose 27 per cent to HK$8.62 billion (US$1.1 billion), driven largely by gains from the disposal of noncore assets including the Brickell City Centre retail mall in Miami and several properties in Hong Kong, according to the... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3346391/hong-kong-developers-swire-and-wharf-report-profit-growth-amid-valuation-pressure?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3346391/hong-kong-developers-swire-and-wharf-report-profit-growth-amid-valuation-pressure?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Mar 2026 12:30:11 +0000 Zhu Wenqian Zhu Wenqian Sunshine 100 China Holdings, a mainland Chinese developer facing debts amid China’s property sector downturn, said on Thursday that it plans to oppose a winding-up petition filed against it in Hong Kong. HTI Financial Solutions and Haitong International Financial Products filed the winding-up petition against the developer at the High Court of Hong Kong over an unpaid redemption sum of about US$205 million, including accrued interest, due on March 19, 2025, according to a Sunshine 100 filing... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3346360/chinese-developer-sunshine-100-oppose-hong-kong-winding-petition-over-us205m-debt?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3346360/chinese-developer-sunshine-100-oppose-hong-kong-winding-petition-over-us205m-debt?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Mar 2026 10:00:28 +0000 Peggy Ye Peggy Ye Escalating tensions in the Middle East could redirect global wealth flows and support demand for Hong Kong property, as investors seek stable financial hubs amid rising geopolitical uncertainty, analysts say. The shift comes as global wealth migration increasingly reshapes luxury property markets from Sydney to Dubai and Hong Kong. Citigroup said in a report released on Monday that prolonged instability in the region could prompt capital and talent to move out of the Middle East. The report said... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3346217/hong-kong-property-could-gain-middle-east-turmoil-reshapes-global-wealth-flows?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3346217/hong-kong-property-could-gain-middle-east-turmoil-reshapes-global-wealth-flows?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Mar 2026 09:00:08 +0000 Peggy Ye Peggy Ye Hong Kong’s fragile retail recovery is clouding the outlook for shopping mall rents, with Wharf Real Estate Investment Company (REIC) warning that rising geopolitical tensions could add further uncertainty even as visitor traffic improves. The landlord of Harbour City in Tsim Sha Tsui and Times Square in Causeway Bay said the retail market showed gradual improvement in 2025 as tourism picked up. “Volume increase, however, was not often accompanied by commensurate yield increase,” the company... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3346098/middle-east-tensions-add-uncertainty-hong-kong-retail-rents-wharf-reic-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3346098/middle-east-tensions-add-uncertainty-hong-kong-retail-rents-wharf-reic-says?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Mar 2026 10:05:40 +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 Peggy Ye Peggy Ye Developers in Hong Kong are testing the housing market’s recovery by nudging prices up or paring discounts as improving sentiment and a rebound in transactions boost confidence in the city’s property sector. But analysts said the moves remained uneven, with many newly launched projects still offering sizeable concessions as developers continued to prioritise clearing unsold inventory accumulated during the market downturn. New World Development plans to cut the discount offered under the 120-day... https://www.scmp.com/business/markets/article/3345774/hong-kong-developers-test-home-market-recovery-raising-prices-trimming-discounts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/markets/article/3345774/hong-kong-developers-test-home-market-recovery-raising-prices-trimming-discounts?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Mar 2026 01:30:11 +0000 Zhu Wenqian Zhu Wenqian For Steven Zhou, a 40-year-old Beijing office worker, suburban outlet stores offer a better shopping experience than urban malls, allowing him to escape the city, park his car without frustration and, most importantly, find good deals. “Outlets offer a wide selection of brands, with attractive discounts, especially on sportswear,” Zhou said. Across the mainland, outlets are expanding while traditional and luxury malls face high vacancy rates. Offering well-known brands at discounted prices,... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3345736/chinas-shoppers-head-suburban-outlets-bright-spot-retail-property?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3345736/chinas-shoppers-head-suburban-outlets-bright-spot-retail-property?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Mar 2026 00:30:08 +0000