Anna Spiewak
Economy Watch: Bailout Terms for Cyprus Cause Big Upset; State Unemployment Rates Below 10%; Homebuilders a Bit More Glum
Cypriot upset broke out when word got out that as part of Cyprus’ bailout, the EU wants depositors in the island nation’s banks to pay a 6.75 percent tax on their deposits up to 100,000 euros. No state has double digit unemployment at this point, marking a milestone. And homebuilder confidence dropped for a third consecutive month in March.
Deloitte’s New O’Brien Regime
Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu sees growth on the horizon in the global real estate industry and the company is positioning itself to capitalize on changes with the selection of Robert O’Brien, vice president with Deloitte in the U.S., to head its global real estate group.
Economy Watch: World’s Middle Class Expanding; CPI Up; Consumer Sentiment Down
The middle class is predicted to be developing at a rapid pace in the next two decades, according to the UN Human Development Report 2013. CPI has increased in February due to gas prices. And U.S. consumers were a bit more grumpy in March than February, with the consumer sentiment index declining month over month.
PREA Special Report: Housing Still Surest Bet in CRE
Despite construction costs on the rise and financing still not being up to par to pre-Great Recession times, real estate is still the soundest investment of today and tomorrow, according to commercial real estate high rollers who spoke at Pension Real Estate Association’s 2013 Spring Conference in Washington, D.C.
MIPIM Special Report: Innovation, Reinvention, Communication: Keys to Inner City (Re)Development
In the current development environment, keys to successfully developing inner cities are a mixed land use, livability, a lifestyle brand, investment & management innovation, and reinvention.
Economy Watch: Job Openings Up Since Early 2012; Gas Prices Edge Down; Small Business a Bit More Optimistic
The number of job openings are up 8 percent year over year compared to January 2012. The weekly U.S. average retail gasoline price fell in early March for the first time since mid-December. And NFIB’s Small Business Optimism Index increased 1.9 points in February to 90.8.
Economy Watch Weekly: Hiring Burst in February, Other Good News
CPE’s economic analyst, Dees Stribling, gives his update for the week ending March 8.
Boston Properties Taps Lehman’s Thomas as CEO
Boston Properties has taken the big step in its CEO succession plan with the selection of Owen Thomas to serve as the REIT’s CEO.