KUALA LUMPUR: Ativo Plaza, the first launch of Damansara Avenue in Bandar Sri Damansara, has seen a take-up rate of 90% within a day of its priority preview event on Aug 7.

The developer, TA Global, said that the phase comprises 198 office suites and 43 lifestyle retail units in an 8-storey building on a 5.73-acre area, but only the office suites are available for sale.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Master Builders Association of Malaysia (MBAM) has called on the government to speedily award the remaining stimulus package projects and implement 10th Malaysia Plan projects.

SHANGHAI: Shanghai’s key stock index fell for the first time on Aug 18 after four days on concern that the central government might unveil more tightening measures for property developers.

ShanghaiDaily.com reported that the Shanghai Composite Index fell 0.21% or 5.59 points to close at 2,666.30 while turnover was at 128.9 billion yuan (RM34.2 million).

KUALA LUMPUR: The number of local investors buying properties in London has increased significantly since the end of 2009, said an official from Henry Butcher Real Estate Sdn Bhd.

The official said that the increase can be attributed to rising property prices in Singapore and Australia, two popular investment destinations for Malaysians, and the weakened pound sterling.

KUALA LUMPUR: Two more buildings are expected to be awarded with the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) Malaysia Cybercentre status by end-2010, according to Datuk Badlisham Ghazali, CEO of the Multimedia Development Corporation (MDeC).

HONG KONG: It may not be The Peak but for tenants of a run-down 57-year-old low-rise in North Point it's home. Now under a new rule on property acquisitions that is about to change.

SHANGHAI: Shanghai has temporarily suspended loans for home decorations under the city's housing fund programme to clean-up unscrupulous practices by some estate agencies, reported Wenhui Daily citing sources from the Shanghai Provident Management Centre.

BEIJING: China saw its foreign direct investment (FDI) for July increased by 29% from the previous year to US$6.92 billion (RM21.69 billion), making it the fourth consecutive month that China has experienced an FDI increase of more than 20%, according to news portal Chinadaily.com.

SEOUL: South Korea's ruling party leader on Thursday, Aug 19 urged the government to quickly adopt measures aimed at reactivating housing transactions, which have slumped due to uncertain economic prospects and strict regulations.

WASHINGTON: The US government’s role in housing finance should undergo “fundamental change,” but it should still provide some guarantees in the mortgage market, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said on Tuesday.