Commercial Property Bucks Gloomy Trend In Housing Market

The media are bombarding us with bad news stories about the residential property market.
For example, it was reported the Nationwide Building Society’s latest survey showed house prices recorded their largest monthly fall since 1991.
Prices dropped 2.5 per cent in May and are apparently now 4.4 per cent lower than a year ago, a fall of [...]

Is Canada Recession Bound

Canadian growth shrank 0.3% in the first quarter, as a wrenching restructuring in the manufacturing sector hobbled an economy half-way in recession.
It was the first decline in annualized growth in nearly five years and the weakest in the Group of Seven, behind the United States, Britain, Europe and even Japan.
“This is a bitterly disappointing and [...]

Humboldt Reports Financial Results For The Three Months Ended March 31, 2008

Humboldt Capital Corporation announces that effective March 31, 2008, the Corporation reported a net asset value of $4.37 per share compared with $4.42 per share at December 31, 2007.
The value of Humboldt’s investment portfolio declined by 1% in the first quarter of 2008 due to the continued weakness in the gas related equities and shares [...]

First Quarter Growth Faster Than Expected

The economy grew at an annualized rate of 5.4 percent in the first three months of the year, racing ahead of the gloomy growth outlooks issued by the Bank of Israel and the Finance Ministry.
“The positive data is an indication for how well the Israeli economy can cope amid a global financial crisis,” Finance Minister [...]

Citi Alternative Investments Posts $358M Loss

Citigroup swung to a huge loss in the first quarter, hurt in part by poor performance and write-downs at its alternative investments business.
The losses at Citi Alternative Investments were a relative drop in the $5.1 billion bucket of red ink: the group recorded “negative revenue” of $358 million “on sharply lower proprietary revenues” and $212 [...]

Arrival Of Realty Mutual Funds Aggravates Talent Shortage

The addition of new real estate investment products and property funds that developers are lining up are expected to exacerbate the talent crunch in real estate.
“The sector is currently hiring for front-office, back-office and operational roles. The levels are comparable to the first wave of aggressive hiring witnessed in the late nineties. We have seen [...]

Ford Says It First Learned Of Kirk Kerkorian’s Interest In Investment In Early April

Ford Motor Co. said Friday it first learned that billionaire Kirk Kerkorian was interested in investing in the automaker in early April but was “completely unaware” that he had begun buying shares until later in the month.
Investment Guide In a government filing, Tracinda Corp. outlined an April 4 meeting between Ford Chief Executive Officer Alan [...]

Ford Executives Welcome Kerkorian Investment

WILMINGTON, Del.–Ford Motor Co. welcomes the significant investment by billionaire Kirk Kerkorian, company executives said Thursday, telling shareholders it underscores the strength of their turnaround plan.
Ford executives said their work to return the No. 2 U.S.-based car company to profitability by 2009 was taking hold and the recent acquisition of 4.7 per cent of the [...]

Despite A Challenging Financial Environment

SCOR realises strong net income of EUR 124 million in the First Quarter 2008, up 63% despite a challenging financial environment
SCOR records strong results, carrying its profitability momentum into 2008. A strong business performance in Non-Life and Life more than offsets a decrease in investment income due to a challenging financial market environment. The quarter [...]

Prudential Net Income Declines On Investment Losses

Prudential Financial Inc., the second-largest U.S. life insurer, said net income plummeted 94 percent to its lowest level in five years, hobbled by losses tied to commercial mortgages and subprime home loans.
The insurer said it quit securitizing commercial mortgages after the company’s first-quarter profit declined to $69 million from $1.12 billion a year earlier. Prudential, [...]