PETALING JAYA: The Master Builders Association Malaysia (MBAM) is looking at purchasing steel bars and cement from overseas markets if domestic building materials prices continue to increase.

KUALA LUMPUR: There is a need for a regional green building council (GBC) co-operative in Asia where countries can look at new technologies, research and development integration as well as benchmark and data collection, said Singapore GBC’s founding board member Lee Siew Eang.

SHAH ALAM: The Selangor state government feels that there are alternative sources of energy and does not see the need to turn to nuclear energy yet.

According to Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim, the state also will not allow such facilities to be built on its land.

CHICAGO: Getz Pharma Malaysia Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Getz Pharma (Private) Ltd of Pakistan, plans to acquire 15 acres of land for its facility in techpark@enstek, Bandar Enstek Nilai, announced Malaysian Biotechnology Corp (BiotechCorp) at the Malaysian Pavilion at the BIO International Convention here on May 4.

KUALA LUMPUR: A group of Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) participants are coming together to form an association tentatively named MM2H (Homers) Association.

KUALA LUMPUR: Bioremediation Solutions Sdn Bhd (Bioremeds) is looking into working with developers and factory owners to clean up rivers in the Klang Valley using Effective Micro-organisms (EM) technology.

Lots of potential but uncertain in near term

Earnings visibility still in doubt

LONDON: A wave of affluent Chinese are investing in new blocks of flats rising in and around London's former wharves and docks -- now among the most sought-after locations in the city. Others are buying large homes in prime central London.

HONG KONG: Beijing's credit crackdown targeting homebuyers has had the desired effect, emptying sales rooms during the long Labour Day weekend and dampening housing demand.

SYDNEY: Approvals to build new homes in Australia surged by the most in over seven years in April as the hard-hit apartment sector made a welcome comeback, cementing the outlook for a construction boom this year.

Other data out on Wednesday, May 5, showed sales of new vehicles ran red-hot in April while the country's service sector returned to growth as sales and employment revived.