HDB and private property prices up in Q1 flash estimates

[toaler]

Channelnewsasia: Posted: 01 April 2008 1345 hrs

Private residential property prices in Singapore rose 4.2 percent in the first quarter this year, according to the latest preliminary estimates from the Urban Redevelopment Authority.

The pace was slower than the 6.8 percent clip recorded in the fourth quarter of last year.

On a quarter-on-quarter basis, the biggest rise in property prices for non-landed properties came from outside central region - up 4.8 percent in the January-March quarter compared with the October-December period.

Properties in the prime districts of 9, 10 and 11, as well as the downtown area and Sentosa, rose 4.4 percent on quarter.

Prices in the rest of the central region increased 3.9 percent in the first quarter from the previous three months.

The preliminary estimates were based on transaction prices given in caveats lodged during the first 10 weeks of the quarter, as well as the number of new units sold.

Meantime, the Housing and Development Board (HDB) said prices of HDB resale flats rose 3.4 percent in the January to March period over the previous three months. This was lower than the 5.7 percent increase in the fourth quarter.

Both the URA and HDB will release final figures at the end of April.

The URA said that as at 4th Quarter 2007, there are about 64,900 private residential units in the pipeline, of which about 56,100 new private housing units are expected to be completed between 2008 and 2011.

There are also some 38,300 units that have yet to be put on sale by developers.

As for the supply of government flats, the HDB said it had made available in the first quarter of this year some 1,100 new flats in two Build-To-Order (BTO) projects in Punggol and Yishun.

It said that depending on demand, there could be another 5,000 new BTO flats in towns such as Punggol, Sengkang, Woodlands and Bukit Panjang.

The total planned BTO supply of 6,100 new flats for January till September 2008 will surpass the annual BTO flat supply in 2007 and 2006.

This new supply of flats will be in addition to those offered under Balloting Exercises for surplus replacement SERS and other flats, as well as the planned release of three Design-and-Build sites in Simei, Toa Payoh and Bedok with some 1,500 flats in the first half of 2008. - CNA/sf

[toaler]

URA releases flash 1st quarter 2008 private residential property price index
The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) released today the flash estimate of the price index of private residential property for 1st Quarter 2008.
Based on the estimated price index of private residential property, prices rose from 170.8 points in the 4th Quarter 2007 to 178 points in the 1st Quarter 2008. This represents an increase of 4.2%, compared with the 6.8% increase in the previous quarter (see Annex A (http://www.ura.gov.sg/pr/graphics/2008/pr08-35a.pdf)).
URA also released today the flash estimates of the price changes in the 3 geographical regions for 1st Quarter 2008. Prices of non-landed private residential properties increased by 4.4% in Core Central Region, 3.9% in Rest of Central Region and 4.8% in Outside Central Region in the quarter (see Annex B (http://www.ura.gov.sg/pr/graphics/2008/pr08-35b.pdf)). In comparison, for 4th Quarter 2007, prices of non-landed private residential properties increased by 7.5% in Core Central Region, 7.7% in Rest of Central Region and 7.0% in Outside Central Region.
The flash estimates are compiled based on transaction prices given in caveats lodged during the first ten weeks of the quarter supplemented by information on the number of new units sold. The statistics will be updated 4 weeks later when URA releases the full 1st Quarter 2008 real estate statistics, when more data on the caveats lodged and the take-up of new projects are captured. Past data have shown that the difference between the quarterly price changes indicated by the flash estimate and the actual price changes could be significant when the change is small. The public is advised to interpret the flash estimates with caution.
The Government will continue to monitor prices closely and release relevant price sensitive information in a timely manner. On the supply side, as at 4th Quarter 2007, there are about 64,900 private residential units in the pipeline, of which about 56,100 new private housing units are expected to be completed between 2008 and 2011. About 38,300 units of the supply in the pipeline (or 59%) have not been sold by developers yet. Prospective home-buyers are advised to take into consideration the ample pipeline supply of private housing when making decisions on property purchase.

[mr funny]

April 1, 2008

S'pore home prices slow after record year

By Joyce Teo


SINGAPORE private home prices rose at the slowest in more than a year in the first quarter of this year, reflecting a general slow down in the property market.

Prices of private homes gained 4.2 per cent in the first three months, after rising 6.8 per cent in the previous quarter, according to early quarterly estimates released by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) on Tuesday.

Prices of non-landed private homes in the core central region of Singapore such as Orchard Road and Sentosa Cove rose by 4.4 per cent, compared with a 7.5 per cent rise in the previous quarter.

Non-landed private home prices rose 3.9 per cent in the rest of central region and 4.8 per cent in areas outside the central region or suburban areas. In the previous quarter, these prices went up by 7.7 per cent and 7 per cent respectively.

Private home prices jumped 31 per cent last year on the back of a booming economy - to an 11-year high. The market has since slowed considerably in the wake of the global credit crunch and the jittery stock market.

The URA on Tuesday advised prospective home-buyers that there is ample supply of private housing in the pipeline.

'As at the fourth quarter of 2007, there are about 64,900 private residential units in the pipeline, of which about 56,100 new private housing units are expected to be completed between 2008 and 2011,' said the URA.

About 38,300 units, or 59 per cent of the total, haven't been sold, the authority said.

Singapore's residential property market outpaced increases in China and Bulgaria, researcher Global Property Guide said in a Dec 19 report. Prices excluding inflation climbed 24 per cent, the researcher said.

The figures released by the authority are preliminary and based on transaction prices lodged during the first 10 weeks of the quarter. The statistics will be updated four weeks later, the authority said in today's statement.

The URA will release the full first quarter real estate statistics in four weeks' time.

[Unregistered]

Stupid fool! Go up for fhat?

[Unregistered]

Stupid fool! Go up for fhat?
Hello! You scolding who? The price index? It is not a living thing lah.

[Unregistered]

Stupid fool! Go up for fhat?

no volume ..that means more homes in market ....inventory of vacant homes increases ......prices go down....then index go down lah ....index go down prices go down ..what else

if there are 100 sales in month ...100X12=1200 a year = 6000 in year and how much in pipeline planned 780000 for next five yrs ..what abt those holding two properties and wants to sale ............???????????????????????? all confusion liao .....

[Unregistered]

no volume ..that means more homes in market ....inventory of vacant homes increases ......prices go down....then index go down lah ....index go down prices go down ..what else

if there are 100 sales in month ...100X12=1200 a year = 6000 in year and how much in pipeline planned 780000 for next five yrs ..what abt those holding two properties and wants to sale ............???????????????????????? all confusion liao .....
Hello! I'm already quite pissed. Don't add insults.

Don't give me all the cock and bull. It doesn't work on me. I can read the index.

Why not suggest something we can do to bring the index down? That is more benefical and meaningful. We must do something - not talk.

[Unregistered]

no volume ..that means more homes in market ....inventory of vacant homes increases ......prices go down....then index go down lah ....index go down prices go down ..what else

if there are 100 sales in month ...100X12=1200 a year = 6000 in year and how much in pipeline planned 780000 for next five yrs ..what abt those holding two properties and wants to sale ............???????????????????????? all confusion liao .....

no volume ..that means more sellers holding, dont want to let go at discount.....panic buyers had to queue longer......prices go up....then index go up lah ....index go up prices go up ..what else

thousands of relocate professionals, tenants, new PR/citizen will join the queue, where got enough stock for them, demand over supply, price will shoot!

[Unregistered]

no volume ..that means more homes in market ....inventory of vacant homes increases ......prices go down....then index go down lah ....index go down prices go down ..what else

if there are 100 sales in month ...100X12=1200 a year = 6000 in year and how much in pipeline planned 780000 for next five yrs ..what abt those holding two properties and wants to sale ............???????????????????????? all confusion liao .....

Hello , Everthing blur..blur to sale or not to sale that is the question.Can buy gold and sale property

[Unregistered]

Hello! I'm already quite pissed. Don't add insults.

Don't give me all the cock and bull. It doesn't work on me. I can read the index.

Why not suggest something we can do to bring the index down? That is more benefical and meaningful. We must do something - not talk.


Sorry, what is your stand?

You said you are already quite pissed, etc., but did not say what you are pissed about? Index up or index down, or index up too slowly?

Then you said about bringing the index down??

Can get your point. You want the index (and the market) to go up or come down?

[Unregistered]

Sorry, what is your stand?

You said you are already quite pissed, etc., but did not say what you are pissed about? Index up or index down, or index up too slowly?

Then you said about bringing the index down??

Can get your point. You want the index (and the market) to go up or come down?
Down, down, down. Just crash it. Goodnight!

[Unregistered]

Down, down, down. Just crash it. Goodnight!

New idea -- how abt having betting set up for property prices on singapore pools .A index for next year April 1 ,2008 can be set up .. say 200 or 100 -- chose the side and bet the money ?

[Singapore Pool]

New idea -- how abt having betting set up for property prices on singapore pools .A index for next year April 1 ,2008 can be set up .. say 200 or 100 -- chose the side and bet the money ?
Err .... good idea.

[Unregistered]

New idea -- how abt having betting set up for property prices on singapore pools .A index for next year April 1 ,2008 can be set up .. say 200 or 100 -- chose the side and bet the money ?
http://www.talkingcock.com/html/article.php?sid=2520
BREAKING NEWS: Mas Selamat Found!

[Unregistered]

You all idiot or what?? Can't read simple english. It spelt very clearly, Property price rose by 4.2 percent, I repeat, rose by 4.2 percent, not drop by 4.2 percent. Its just a slower growth but it still rose.

I tell you, property prices in Singapore will not drop till 2015.

[Unregistered]

You all idiot or what?? Can't read simple english. It spelt very clearly, Property price rose by 4.2 percent, I repeat, rose by 4.2 percent, not drop by 4.2 percent. Its just a slower growth but it still rose.

I tell you, property prices in Singapore will not drop till 2015.
These people having been dreaming of a crash until mad liao.. when it's not happening agian for Q1, they exhibit signs of their sickness..

[Unregistered]

These people having been dreaming of a crash until mad liao.. when it's not happening agian for Q1, they exhibit signs of their sickness..
You are right. It rose 4.2%. But only a handful of units sold.

[Unregistered]

You all idiot or what?? Can't read simple english. It spelt very clearly, Property price rose by 4.2 percent, I repeat, rose by 4.2 percent, not drop by 4.2 percent. Its just a slower growth but it still rose.

I tell you, property prices in Singapore will not drop till 2015.
ok lah you bet on property index 200 at April 1 , 2009
I bet for 100

[Unregistered]

April 1, 2008

S'pore home prices slow after record year

By Joyce Teo


SINGAPORE private home prices rose at the slowest in more than a year in the first quarter of this year, reflecting a general slow down in the property market.

Prices of private homes gained 4.2 per cent in the first three months, after rising 6.8 per cent in the previous quarter, according to early quarterly estimates released by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) on Tuesday.

Prices of non-landed private homes in the core central region of Singapore such as Orchard Road and Sentosa Cove rose by 4.4 per cent, compared with a 7.5 per cent rise in the previous quarter.

Non-landed private home prices rose 3.9 per cent in the rest of central region and 4.8 per cent in areas outside the central region or suburban areas. In the previous quarter, these prices went up by 7.7 per cent and 7 per cent respectively.

Private home prices jumped 31 per cent last year on the back of a booming economy - to an 11-year high. The market has since slowed considerably in the wake of the global credit crunch and the jittery stock market.

The URA on Tuesday advised prospective home-buyers that there is ample supply of private housing in the pipeline.

'As at the fourth quarter of 2007, there are about 64,900 private residential units in the pipeline, of which about 56,100 new private housing units are expected to be completed between 2008 and 2011,' said the URA.

About 38,300 units, or 59 per cent of the total, haven't been sold, the authority said.

Singapore's residential property market outpaced increases in China and Bulgaria, researcher Global Property Guide said in a Dec 19 report. Prices excluding inflation climbed 24 per cent, the researcher said.

The figures released by the authority are preliminary and based on transaction prices lodged during the first 10 weeks of the quarter. The statistics will be updated four weeks later, the authority said in today's statement.

The URA will release the full first quarter real estate statistics in four weeks' time.

OH 59% UNSOLD. HEARD THAT? 59% UNSOLD. IT IS WRITTEN IN SIMPLE ENGLISH MORONS.

[Unregistered]

OH 59% UNSOLD. HEARD THAT? 59% UNSOLD. IT IS WRITTEN IN SIMPLE ENGLISH MORONS.
Yes no takers my friend.

[Unregistered]

April 1, 2008

S'pore home prices slow after record year

By Joyce Teo


SINGAPORE private home prices rose at the slowest in more than a year in the first quarter of this year, reflecting a general slow down in the property market.

Prices of private homes gained 4.2 per cent in the first three months, after rising 6.8 per cent in the previous quarter, according to early quarterly estimates released by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) on Tuesday.

Prices of non-landed private homes in the core central region of Singapore such as Orchard Road and Sentosa Cove rose by 4.4 per cent, compared with a 7.5 per cent rise in the previous quarter.

Non-landed private home prices rose 3.9 per cent in the rest of central region and 4.8 per cent in areas outside the central region or suburban areas. In the previous quarter, these prices went up by 7.7 per cent and 7 per cent respectively.

Private home prices jumped 31 per cent last year on the back of a booming economy - to an 11-year high. The market has since slowed considerably in the wake of the global credit crunch and the jittery stock market.

The URA on Tuesday advised prospective home-buyers that there is ample supply of private housing in the pipeline.

'As at the fourth quarter of 2007, there are about 64,900 private residential units in the pipeline, of which about 56,100 new private housing units are expected to be completed between 2008 and 2011,' said the URA.

About 38,300 units, or 59 per cent of the total, haven't been sold, the authority said.

Singapore's residential property market outpaced increases in China and Bulgaria, researcher Global Property Guide said in a Dec 19 report. Prices excluding inflation climbed 24 per cent, the researcher said.

The figures released by the authority are preliminary and based on transaction prices lodged during the first 10 weeks of the quarter. The statistics will be updated four weeks later, the authority said in today's statement.

The URA will release the full first quarter real estate statistics in four weeks' time.
Where is the increase? Everything is down. If you consider inflation 4.2 %increase is negative.

[Unregistered]

Its a matter of price. Lower by 20%, you will see snaking queues.

Some enbloc projects already relaunched at 20% lower than original asking price.

[Unregistered]

Its a matter of price. Lower by 20%, you will see snaking queues.

Some enbloc projects already relaunched at 20% lower than original asking price.
Enbloc developers defaulting too I heard. Is it true?

[Unregistered]

chiak lat with sub prime mess and stock market losses, index is still up 4.2%. Cannot imagine what will happen if the stock market improves and STI turnaround. Dow up 220+ points as I write now...no April fool joke.

[Unregistered]

chiak lat with sub prime mess and stock market losses, index is still up 4.2%. Cannot imagine what will happen if the stock market improves and STI turnaround. Dow up 220+ points as I write now...no April fool joke.
The April fool joke is to pull more and more fools into the market and then dump them. And by the way 220 pts is less than 2% and its because of teh new quarter and people taking positions.

[Unregistered]

Celent: 200,000 US banking jobs at risk
updated 7:33 a.m. ET April 1, 2008

GENEVA - Analysts at financial research firm Celent say the U.S. banking industry will lose 200,000 jobs over the next 12 to 18 months.

The head of Celent's financial consultancy unit says the job cuts will occur as the subprime crisis hits other parts of the banking industry.

Octavio Marenzi said Tuesday that staff reductions were inevitable as the U.S. economy weakens further.

[smartinvest]

The general property index is dependent on a collection of parameters
such as

1. Demand and Supply - imigrants, HDB upgraders, population growth
2. Location, location , location & location.
3. Cost of Development such as labour , raw material -steels , cements & bricks.
4. Government development charges
5. Cost of land
6. General economy health , stock market, interest rate
7. Government Policy such as defered payment
8. Sentiment

So even when developer enbloc default, it only affect that developer and the seller and of course some general sentiment. However cost of development
& cost of Development charges has gone up quite a lot and of course
the inflation.

Generally I would think Property Prices slow down this quarter due to the sell down of the Stock market icaused by subprime crises . However those who are short in properties will be
seriously short when STI go back to 3500 level and DJI go above 13500.

If there is a rebound in the property but cap at around 5% to 15% growth throughout this year.

Nobody want to see the collapse the property market
especially the banks and authority , neither do they want to see property price go through the roof. They would like growth
of property prices to be pecked to the GDP growth.
So those who dream property price to collapse, would also be dreaming for a recession. I think it could not possibly happen in this year.

For those unsold units, I think it is a result of developers withholding their
sale until IR is near to completion. Most Blue chip developers have very
deep pockets now, they can hold on until they can fetch better prices.
I think there are lots of foregin buyers with deep pocket that match those prices. Those developers that default are generally the weakers one.


Hope this help to both buyers and sellers.:)

[Unregistered]

Originally Posted by mr funny
April 1, 2008

S'pore home prices slow after record year

By Joyce Teo

As at the fourth quarter of 2007, there are about 64,900 private residential units in the pipeline, of which about 56,100 new private housing units are expected to be completed between 2008 and 2011,' said the URA.

About 38,300 units, or 59 per cent of the total, haven't been sold, the authority said.


OH 59% UNSOLD. HEARD THAT? 59% UNSOLD. IT IS WRITTEN IN SIMPLE ENGLISH MORONS.


Yes no takers my friend.

Sour Grape Ignorance 8 Detected! Beep! Beep! Beep!

Unsold = Not yet sold

Unsold ≠ Cannot be sold

If you go to IKEA, you will see that they have tables UNSOLD, chairs UNSOLD, cupboards UNSOLD ...?

Try telling IKEA that since they have so many things UNSOLD, and there are no takers my friend, then may as well sell everything to you at 20% discount.

At any point in time, there will be some properties in the market which are unsold.

Furthermore, these are units in the pipeline and not even completed yet.

Can you imagine what will happen if the situation were "No units UNSOLD. All projects in the pipeline up to 2011 have been sold"?

Prices will shoot to infinity.

Now let's look at ChannelNewsAsia 27 February 2008.

'According to the figures, more foreigners have decided to call Singapore home for good.

Last year, Singapore saw over 63,000 new PRs, an 11-per-cent increase from 2006; and the city-state also welcomed more than 17,000 new citizens, a 30-per-cent jump.'

Every single year, we are getting 63,000 new PRs and 17,000 new citizens, a total of 80,000 people settling into Singapore.

Many of these are high-earners and professionals, but even if you assume that the proportion of them able to afford private housing is similar to Singaporean's demographic profile, i.e. 15%, that's 12,000 per year.

In four years, the demand is 48,000, which more than absorbs all the 38,300 units that are coming up in the pipeline up till 2011 !

Wait!

Then what about Singaporeans leh?

Singaporeans no need to buy properties meh?

And what about my auntie from KL who likes to collect properties everytime her doctor husband earns enough money? (Which I counted so far is about one property every year, either near KLCC or Singapore property).

She's not going to become a Singapore citizen or PR but she also wants to buy our properties.

Let me tell you ... there is a very severe shortage coming up.

[blackjack21trader]

Sour Grape Ignorance 8 Detected! Beep! Beep! Beep!

Unsold = Not yet sold

Unsold ≠ Cannot be sold

If you go to IKEA, you will see that they have tables UNSOLD, chairs UNSOLD, cupboards UNSOLD ...?

Try telling IKEA that since they have so many things UNSOLD, and there are no takers my friend, then may as well sell everything to you at 20% discount.

At any point in time, there will be some properties in the market which are unsold.

Furthermore, these are units in the pipeline and not even completed yet.

Can you imagine what will happen if the situation were "No units UNSOLD. All projects in the pipeline up to 2011 have been sold"?

Prices will shoot to infinity.

Now let's look at ChannelNewsAsia 27 February 2008.

'According to the figures, more foreigners have decided to call Singapore home for good.

Last year, Singapore saw over 63,000 new PRs, an 11-per-cent increase from 2006; and the city-state also welcomed more than 17,000 new citizens, a 30-per-cent jump.'

Every single year, we are getting 63,000 new PRs and 17,000 new citizens, a total of 80,000 people settling into Singapore.

Many of these are high-earners and professionals, but even if you assume that the proportion of them able to afford private housing is similar to Singaporean's demographic profile, i.e. 15%, that's 12,000 per year.

In four years, the demand is 48,000, which more than absorbs all the 38,300 units that are coming up in the pipeline up till 2011 !

Wait!

Then what about Singaporeans leh?

Singaporeans no need to buy properties meh?

And what about my auntie from KL who likes to collect properties everytime her doctor husband earns enough money? (Which I counted so far is about one property every year, either near KLCC or Singapore property).

She's not going to become a Singapore citizen or PR but she also wants to buy our properties.

Let me tell you ... there is a very severe shortage coming up.

LOL... well said :)

[Reuters]

http://l.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/nws/p/reuters_logo_94.png
Lehman raises $4 bln of capital to quell critics
Dan Wilchins
Reuters
New York, New York, U.S.
Tuesday, 1 April 2008, 9:30AM U.S. EDT

http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/nm/20080401/2008_04_01t094427_450x300_us_lehman.jpg
A logo of U.S. investment bank Lehman Brothers is seen outside its Asia headquarters in 1 April 2008 - Photo: Yuriko Nakao, Reuters

Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc sold $4 billion of convertible preferred securities on Tuesday in an effort to dispel questions about the fourth-largest U.S. investment bank's stability.

Lehman's shares surged 10.7% in pre-market trading to $41.65 as the offering was seen as a vote of investor confidence in the firm. The sale met with strong demand even after rumors of looming write-downs at Lehman have cratered the company's stock for weeks.

Lehman has said in the past that it suspects that short sellers, who profit when share prices fall, are spreading rumors about the company to push its stock down.

Questions about potential write-downs at Bear Stearns Cos Inc were enough to trigger a run on the bank there, forcing what was once the fifth-largest U.S. investment bank to sell itself for a fraction of its former value.

Lehman said the convertible preferred securities were priced with a dividend yield of 7.25% and their principal can be used to buy common shares at $49.87, or a 32.49% premium to their closing price on Monday.

[Unregistered]

The general property index is dependent on a collection of parameters
such as

1. Demand and Supply - imigrants, HDB upgraders, population growth
2. Location, location , location & location.
3. Cost of Development such as labour , raw material -steels , cements & bricks.
4. Government development charges
5. Cost of land
6. General economy health , stock market, interest rate
7. Government Policy such as defered payment
8. Sentiment

So even when developer enbloc default, it only affect that developer and the seller and of course some general sentiment. However cost of development
& cost of Development charges has gone up quite a lot and of course
the inflation.

Generally I would think Property Prices slow down this quarter due to the sell down of the Stock market icaused by subprime crises . However those who are short in properties will be
seriously short when STI go back to 3500 level and DJI go above 13500.

If there is a rebound in the property but cap at around 5% to 15% growth throughout this year.

Nobody want to see the collapse the property market
especially the banks and authority , neither do they want to see property price go through the roof. They would like growth
of property prices to be pecked to the GDP growth.
So those who dream property price to collapse, would also be dreaming for a recession. I think it could not possibly happen in this year.

For those unsold units, I think it is a result of developers withholding their
sale until IR is near to completion. Most Blue chip developers have very
deep pockets now, they can hold on until they can fetch better prices.
I think there are lots of foregin buyers with deep pocket that match those prices. Those developers that default are generally the weakers one.


Hope this help to both buyers and sellers.:)

You are spot on. Keep up your great posting. Property CHEONG ARHHHHHHHHH

[Reuters]

http://l.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/nws/p/reuters_logo_94.png
Market adds to gains after factory data
Caroline Valetkevitch
Reuters
New York, New York, U.S.
Tuesday, 1 April 2008, 10:10AM U.S. EDT

http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/nm/20080401/2008_04_01t064246_450x302_us_markets_stocks.jpg
A logo of U.S. investment bank Lehman Brothers is seen outside its Asia headquarters in 1 April 2008 - Photo: Yuriko Nakao, Reuters

Stocks added to gains on Tuesday after stronger-than-expected data on U.S. factory activity eased some concerns about the economy.

The Dow Jones industrial average was up 223.26 points, or 1.82%, at 12,486.15. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index was up 23.52 points, or 1.78%, at 1,346.22. The Nasdaq Composite Index was up 43.10 points, or 1.89%, at 2,322.20.

[Reuters]

http://l.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/nws/p/reuters_logo_94.png
Blackstone raises US$10.9 billion real estate fund
Megan Davies
Reuters
New York, New York, U.S.
Tuesday, 1 April 2008, 10:15AM U.S. EDT

http://marketplace.publicradio.org/i/news/b_blackstone_group_logo.jpg

Private equity and real estate firm Blackstone Group said on Tuesday it raised $10.9 billion to invest in real estate, and said there should be attractive investment opportunities ahead.

Blackstone said it had raised a total of nine real estate funds with total capital commitments of $25.7 billion. The fund it just closed is called Blackstone Real Estate Partners VI.

Previous real estate investments Blackstone has made include Equity Office Properties and Hilton Hotels Corp.

[AP]

http://www.ap.org/media/images/logo.gif
Stocks gain after UBS and Lehman plans
Leslie Wines
Business Writer
Associated Press
New York, New York, U.S.
Tuesday, 1 April 2008, 10:30AM U.S. EDT

http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/afp/20080401/capt.cps.mtx52.010408042955.photo02.photo.default-318x512.jpg
A Wall Street sign outside the New York Stock Exchange. A proposal for the most sweeping overhaul of financial market regulation since the New Deal evoked a range of reactions from praise to outright skepticism on Monday. - Photo: Mario Tama, AP

Wall Street rallied Tuesday, the first day of the second quarter, on news that two banks slammed by the credit crisis are working to raise cash and that U.S. manufacturing is faring better than expected. The Dow Jones industrial average soared more than 200 points.

Investors were pleased to hear that Swiss bank UBS AG said it will issue up to $15 billion in new stock and that its chairman, Marcel Ospel, had quit. Investors chose to look past the bank's announcement that it will take a fresh $19 billion write-down due to additional declines in the value of its mortgage assets and other credit instruments, following an $18 billion write-down last year.

UBS's decision to issue new stock arrived on the heels of a similar announcement by Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. late Monday. The U.S. investment bank said it would sell 3 million convertible preferred shares due to "investor interest."

The pair of announcements buttressed the view that financial services companies are taking aggressive action to improve their capital bases. Shares of both UBS and Lehman surged Tuesday along with the rest of the financial sector. UBS's U.S. shares rose $2.99, or 10%, to $31.79, and Lehman rose $3.47, or 9%, to $41.11.

Meanwhile, Wall Street got another boost when the Institute for Supply Management said its March index of national manufacturing activity rose to a reading of 48.6 — indicating a contraction, but a slower one than in February and tamer than many analysts had predicted.

Government data on construction spending for February also came in better than expected. The average economist was anticipating a drop of about 1 percent; instead, construction spending fell 0.3% in February compared to January.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 217.48, or 1.77%, to 12,480.37.

Broader stock indicators also gained sharply. The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 21.96, or 1.66%, to 1,344.66, and the Nasdaq composite index rose 40.57, or 1.78%, to 2,319.67.

Treasury bonds fell as investors pulled their money out of the safety of government securities and placed it into riskier assets. The 10-year Treasury note's yield, which moves opposite its price, rose to 3.52% from 3.43% late Monday.

On Monday, Wall Street had managed a moderate gain in the final session of a dismal first quarter. Stocks prices and the major indexes ended the first three months of 2008 with massive losses, the casualties of the still continuing credit crisis. It was the worst quarter for the major indexes since the third quarter of 2002, when Wall Street was approaching the lowest point of a protracted bear market.

The stock market appeared revived on Tuesday, however.

In addition to optimism about the financial sector, Wall Street was relieved to see the feeble dollar regain some strength against the euro. The euro fell to $1.5596 from $1.5785 late Monday in New York.

Investors also found solace in retreating commodities prices. Crude oil fell by $1.45 to $100.13 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, while gold dropped back below $900 an ounce.

The Russell 2000 index of smaller companies rose 10.29, or 1.50 percent, to 698.26.

Advancing issues outnumbered decliners by about 4 to 1 on the New York Stock Exchange.

In overseas trade, Tokyo's Nikkei closed up 1.04%. There were gains in Europe too, with London's FTSE rising 1.50%, Frankfurt's DAX gaining 2.02% and Paris' CAC 40 advancing 2.02%.

[Unregistered]

Sentiment is the key factor. People are waiting for prices to drop and buy when bottom out but in reality majority will not catch it and miss. Even if there is a dip due to sentiment the rebound would bring prices to higher level.

[Unregistered]

The talk of whether property market going up or down depends on whether one is vested or not. The way the news is presented matters a great deal. One can chose to focus on the small growth rather than the sharp dip. It's all a matter of interpretation. Do no one good if news presented sounds gloomy. Whether the glass if half full or half empty, everyone is correct.

[Unregistered]

The talk of whether property market going up or down depends on whether one is vested or not. The way the news is presented matters a great deal. One can chose to focus on the small growth rather than the sharp dip. It's all a matter of interpretation. Do no one good if news presented sounds gloomy. Whether the glass if half full or half empty, everyone is correct.
I don't care how the news is presented.
I just want the facts.

If I buy something for $1, I want to know if its price go up by 4% or go down by 4%.
If go up by 4%, it is worth $1.04.
If go down by ....

[AFP]

http://www.afp.com/english/home/imgs/logo.gif
German unemployment rate falls: official data
Agence France-Presse
Berlin, Germany
Tuesday, 1 April 2008, 10:53AM CET

The number of unemployed in Germany fell by 110,000 to 3.5 million people in March owing to improving economic conditions and seasonal effects, the national labour office said on Tuesday.

The jobless rate fell 0.2 percentage points from its level in February to 8.4%.

Compared to March 2007 the number of jobless fell by 617,000.

Adjusted for the usual rise in employment in spring, the number of people out of work fell by 55,000, it said, better than a fall of 40,000 forecast by economists in a survey by Thomson Financial.

The number was nonetheless weaker than the monthly average since September, when roughly 67,000 people were removed from the jobless list.

The labour office itself noted that "a drop in March is normal as spring arrives, but the fall is not quite as strong as last year."

Its president Frank-Josef Weise estimated that "employment continues to grow and business demand for labour remains strong."

Two schools of thought are currently debating the direction in which German employment is likely to go in the coming months.

Optimists lead by Economy Minister Michael Glos hope to see the country reach full employment within ten years.

The pessimistic view was demonstrated Monday by a study in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung newspaper, which studied announcements concerning the creation or elimination of 100 jobs or more during the first quarter of the year.

Major companies were found to have unveiled almost twice as many job cuts as creations, the newspaper found.

But its results were contested by certain economists who note that small- and medium-sized enterprises that form the backbone of German industry continue to hire without making headlines, whereas the media gives major coverage to job cuts by high-profile German companies.

"The latest figures indicate that the German labor market is on a roll - at least for the time being," said Andreas Rees, chief German economist at UniCredit Markets.

"We expect the demand for labor to be strong in the months ahead," he added.

"A deceleration will probably kick in only in autumn or even later this year."

[AFP]

http://www.afp.com/english/home/imgs/logo.gif
Eurozone official Unemployment rate steady at Record Low
Agence France-Presse
Brussels, Belgium
Tuesday, 1 April 2008, 10:57AM CET

http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/afp/20080401/capt.cps.mtz43.010408115559.photo00.photo.default-512x339.jpg
A construction site in the north of Madrid. Unemployment in the 15 nations sharing the Euro has held steady in February at a record low of 7.1% despite slowing economic activity, official European Union data has showed. - Photo: Philippe Desmazes, AFP

Unemployment in the 15 nations sharing the euro held steady in February at a record low point of 7.1% despite slowing economic activity, official European Union data showed on Tuesday.

Although rate, which the EU's Eurostat data agency adjusted to account for seasonal variations, was the lowest on its books going back to 1993, economists said the labour market recovery unlikely to go much farther.

"In all, the latest unemployment figures are broadly encouraging," economist Jennifer McKeown at consultants Capital Economics.

"But given clear evidence of a slowdown elsewhere in the economy, and the recent softening of survey measures of hiring intentions, it seems likely that the eurozone labour market recovery is close to a peak," she added.

Although the eurozone economy has lost pace over the past year, unemployment has so far maintained a gradual decline in the bloc. The jobless rate was down from 7.6% in February 2007.

Long a major headache for eurozone politicians, unemployment in the eurozone has gradually eased in recent years since peaking at 9.1% of the workforce in March 2005.

Looking ahead, economist Howard Archer at consultants Global Insight said that the employment situation was likely to deteriorate in the coming months as the broader economy slowed.

"Unemployment is a lagging indicator and we suspect that slowing eurozone growth and weaker business confidence will increasingly weigh down on labour markets over the coming months," he said.

In one of the latest signs if weakness, manufacturing activity slowed in March to the lowest level since October, according to a widely watched purchasing managers index on Tuesday.

In the 27-nation EU as a whole, the unemployment rate dipped 6.7% in February, down from 6.8% in January 2007 and 7.4% in February 2007, according to Eurostat.

The EU's statistics office estimated that 16.0 million workers were without a job throughout the EU, including 10.9 million in the eurozone.

[Unregistered]

My suggestion to all ppty owners is to continue to hold your units. Don't let go easily. It comes to a point very soon that ppl will start to realize that in order to preserve their assets value is to invest in ppty to hedge the monster inflation that looming into Asia.

Mark my words, Singapore ppty prices will continue to appreciate and double in a year or two.

[Unregistered]

Sentiment is the key factor. People are waiting for prices to drop and buy when bottom out but in reality majority will not catch it and miss. Even if there is a dip due to sentiment the rebound would bring prices to higher level.
This is the wisest saying. People are too short sighted. To each his own, these people may be able to buy lower, but until then they have to pay the price of anticipation. If their expectations don't come true, it's all but wasted time and energy. Then after they have bought, they will keep comparing around to assure themselves that theirs was the best timed deal. Otherwise, they continue to feel gloomy because they didnt catch the bottom.

[mr funny]

Singapore home prices rise at slower pace in first quarter

By Wong Siew Ying, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 01 April 2008 2320 hrs


SINGAPORE: Prices of HDB resale flats rose 3.4 percent in the January to March period over the previous three months, according to flash estimates released by the HDB. The increase was lower than the 5.7 percent pace in the fourth quarter.

The slower rise in resale flat prices comes as no surprise to industry watchers who attribute it to the cautious sentiment in the overall property market.

They say buyers are not willing to fork out high cash over valuation, in view of the additional supply of flats in the pipeline.

So going by the current market sentiments, property agents say a 10 percent price increase for HDB resale flats this year is unlikely. Prices for HDB resale flats rose 17.5 percent last year.

But the showing for the first quarter isn't bad, say property agents.

Ku Swee Yong, Savills' director for international marketing, said: "Year on year, it (Q1 2008 Resale Price Index) is still up about 21 points, which is about 20% growth... that's pretty strong. Buyers are still willing to pay above S$10,000 cash over valuation. That also represents very solid real demand..."

The slowdown in price increases in the private residential sector is also more noticeable in the first quarter this year. Prices rose 4.2 percent, compared to 6.8 percent in the last quarter.

The dip in private home price gains is the biggest quarterly drop in more than seven years since the third quarter of 2000 when prices fell by over 4 percent.

Market watchers say thin sales volumes in the quarter and developers' resistance to cutting prices may have helped sustain the price increases.

Cushman & Wakefield's Donald Han said: "It's quite encouraging on the basis that we had very low volume in terms of transaction numbers for the first quarter, something like over 800 units were transacted in the first quarter compared to the average of 3,000 to 4,000 sold in 2007 on a per quarter basis."

The slowdown in price gains was seen across all districts in Singapore, covering the high-end as well as the mass market segments.

According to the URA, prices of non-landed private residential properties increased by 4.4% on quarter in the core central region in the first quarter, slower than a 7.5% increase in the previous three months.

Prices of properties in the rest of the central region increased by 3.9% in the quarter, compared with a 7.7% increase in the previous period. Outside the central region, prices increased by 4.8%, slower than a 7% rise previously.

Analysts expect transaction volume of residential properties to be thin for the next three to six months and price increases to be moderate in the next quarter.

Donald Han, managing director of Cushman & Wakefield (Singapore), forecasts a 3% to 4% rise in the next quarter.

He expects the property market to be active again, probably towards the later half of this year when stability returns to the credit crunch market.

On the rental market, analysts say it will continue to perform well in view of the large influx of foreign workers to be expected in Singapore when the two integrated resorts are ready in the next two years. - CNA/ir

[Unregistered]

Sour Grape Ignorance 8 Detected! Beep! Beep! Beep!

Unsold = Not yet sold

Unsold ≠ Cannot be sold

If you go to IKEA, you will see that they have tables UNSOLD, chairs UNSOLD, cupboards UNSOLD ...?

Try telling IKEA that since they have so many things UNSOLD, and there are no takers my friend, then may as well sell everything to you at 20% discount.

At any point in time, there will be some properties in the market which are unsold.

Furthermore, these are units in the pipeline and not even completed yet.

Can you imagine what will happen if the situation were "No units UNSOLD. All projects in the pipeline up to 2011 have been sold"?

Prices will shoot to infinity.

Now let's look at ChannelNewsAsia 27 February 2008.

'According to the figures, more foreigners have decided to call Singapore home for good.

Last year, Singapore saw over 63,000 new PRs, an 11-per-cent increase from 2006; and the city-state also welcomed more than 17,000 new citizens, a 30-per-cent jump.'

Every single year, we are getting 63,000 new PRs and 17,000 new citizens, a total of 80,000 people settling into Singapore.

Many of these are high-earners and professionals, but even if you assume that the proportion of them able to afford private housing is similar to Singaporean's demographic profile, i.e. 15%, that's 12,000 per year.

In four years, the demand is 48,000, which more than absorbs all the 38,300 units that are coming up in the pipeline up till 2011 !

Wait!

Then what about Singaporeans leh?

Singaporeans no need to buy properties meh?

And what about my auntie from KL who likes to collect properties everytime her doctor husband earns enough money? (Which I counted so far is about one property every year, either near KLCC or Singapore property).

She's not going to become a Singapore citizen or PR but she also wants to buy our properties.

Let me tell you ... there is a very severe shortage coming up.
Pity your thinking moron. Feel ashamed.

[CSR Police]

Pity your thinking moron. Feel ashamed.
:****you: :asshole: :please-die:

[Unregistered]

Coupled with high inflation and low interest rate, resulted negative interest-rate scenario. Effectively, if you have a loan, the Bank is now paying you, rather than the other way around! That is, you will pay back your loan in future, inclusive of interest, with less real money than the loan is worth today.

The best way to enjoy this win scenario at this moment is to engage a motgage, i.e. to buy a property.

However, this scenario also implies financial instability/unhealthy. So, don't over committed unless you are very confident with singapore fundamental.

Gook luck!

[Reuters]

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FTSE adds 2.6% on writedown relief rally
Michael Taylor
Reuters
London, U.K.
Tuesday, 1 April 2008, 4:27PM WET

Britain's top share index ended sharply higher on Tuesday, entering the second quarter in buoyant mood as financials jumped on hopes that European bank writedowns signalled that the worst was over for the sector.

The FTSE 100 ended up 2.6%, or 150.5 points, at 5,852.6.

European heavyweight banks UBS and Deutsche Bank both gained after taking big hits on their risky assets -- $19 billion for UBS and $3.9 billion for Deutsche -- which gave their British counterparts a fillip.

Barclays, HBOS, Royal Bank of Scotland and Alliance & Leicester all jumped between 6 and 8%.

"It's certainly been a bumper start to the month and the quarter for equities," said Jimmy Yates, a dealer at CMC Markets. "A lot of positive sentiment is coming out from the fact UBS's new credit writedown is widely hoped to be drawing a line under the recent troubles in the U.S. housing market."

In the previous session, the UK index sealed its worst quarterly performance in more than five years, declining 11.7% in the first three months.

"An equally bullish start on Wall Street after the release of some slightly stronger-than-expected economic data is helping lock in gains," added CMC's Yates.

Across the Atlantic, U.S. stocks rallied after Lehman Brothers helped restore confidence in financials after it said it raised $4 billion in a convertible preferred stock offering to bolster its balance sheet.

The Institute for Supply Management said its manufacturing index for March was stronger than forecast.

The gauge rose to 48.6 in March from 48.3 in February and was closer than expected to the 50 mark, above which signals expansion.

Astra Boost

Pharmaceuticals notched up strong gains, with AstraZeneca advancing 6.9% after two brokerages hiked sales forecasts for the Anglo-Swedish group's Crestor drug, which is emerging as a potential big winner in the fiercely competitive anti-cholesterol market.

JPMorgan upgraded the group to "neutral" from "underweight".

GlaxoSmithKline tacked on 4.6%.

Retail stocks also climbed, with Kingfisher up 7.8%, Next adding 6.8%, and Home Retail Group 7.5% higher, as traders cited short-squeezing.

"It's short-squeezing for the whole retail sector. UBS spooked a few quick-money boys this morning. The retail sector has been one of the sectors where people have been running short," said a trader.

Shares in Friends Provident surged 7.4% on hopes of more bid approaches, extending gains from the previous session when it rejected a bid offer from U.S. private equity firm JC Flowers.

Among midcaps, gambling companies featured among gainers, with both PartyGaming and Rank up 8.4 and 9.9%, respectively, as traders cited persistent bid talk after earlier newspaper reports.

Malaysia-based gaming group Genting, which has a significant stake in British casino, bingo and online betting company Rank, has again been mentioned as a possible suitor for Rank, traders say. Rank and representatives for Genting in London declined to comment.

On the downside, miners lost ground as precious and base metal prices fell. Antofagasta shed 1.5%, Lonmin dipped 2.4%, and Xstrata dropped 1.5%.

U.S. crude CLc1 dipped below $100 a barrel, extending losses from the previous session as a strengthening U.S. dollar triggered a wide sell-off across commodity markets.

BP was flat, and BG Group was 2% lower.

[Unregistered]

The sour grapes are barking up the wrong sour grape tree.

They think that the coming TOP of large numbers of completion units will cause prices to fall.

Let me point out why it will not.

Simply, because, these units were bought three years ago and they were very cheap.

So the investors borrowed very little from the bank actually. Now the property is worth much much more. The rental yield is much higher than the mortgage interest.

I use myself as illustration. I bought a unit for only $500,000. Now it is worth $900,000. Not yet TOP, but it is expected to fetch a rental yield of around 5% based on the $900,000 price, but I bought it for $500,000, remember.

So that's 9% yield for me, and I am paying the bank only 3% interest a year.

Even if the rental falls due to more supply (which I doubt so because the demand from foreigners and immigrants is very strong), there's no way it can go below my mortgage interest repayment.

Remember ... I borrowed very little money from the bank ... because the property was very cheap three years ago.

So I look forward to the coming TOP.

ps. another reason I look forward to the TOP is because I have a fetish for new condos. They're very nice and smell nice and look nice and feel nice.

[Unregistered]

The sour grapes are barking up the wrong sour grape tree.

They think that the coming TOP of large numbers of completion units will cause prices to fall.

Let me point out why it will not.

Simply, because, these units were bought three years ago and they were very cheap.

So the investors borrowed very little from the bank actually. Now the property is worth much much more. The rental yield is much higher than the mortgage interest.

I use myself as illustration. I bought a unit for only $500,000. Now it is worth $900,000. Not yet TOP, but it is expected to fetch a rental yield of around 5% based on the $900,000 price, but I bought it for $500,000, remember.

So that's 9% yield for me, and I am paying the bank only 3% interest a year.

Even if the rental falls due to more supply (which I doubt so because the demand from foreigners and immigrants is very strong), there's no way it can go below my mortgage interest repayment.

Remember ... I borrowed very little money from the bank ... because the property was very cheap three years ago.

So I look forward to the coming TOP.

ps. another reason I look forward to the TOP is because I have a fetish for new condos. They're very nice and smell nice and look nice and feel nice.
You are barking from the wrong nut tree. Nobody said that buying property three years ago was bad. In fact it was good and many people have sold out already.

It carries more risk to buy now at current high prices because there could be a correction coming. Interest may be low but the new condo with TOP in 2011 could end up as negative equity.

Even Bravo is letting go of their enbloc acquisition.

[Unregistered]

The sour grapes are barking up the wrong sour grape tree.

They think that the coming TOP of large numbers of completion units will cause prices to fall.

Let me point out why it will not.

Simply, because, these units were bought three years ago and they were very cheap.

So the investors borrowed very little from the bank actually. Now the property is worth much much more. The rental yield is much higher than the mortgage interest.

I use myself as illustration. I bought a unit for only $500,000. Now it is worth $900,000. Not yet TOP, but it is expected to fetch a rental yield of around 5% based on the $900,000 price, but I bought it for $500,000, remember.

So that's 9% yield for me, and I am paying the bank only 3% interest a year.

Even if the rental falls due to more supply (which I doubt so because the demand from foreigners and immigrants is very strong), there's no way it can go below my mortgage interest repayment.

Remember ... I borrowed very little money from the bank ... because the property was very cheap three years ago.

So I look forward to the coming TOP.

ps. another reason I look forward to the TOP is because I have a fetish for new condos. They're very nice and smell nice and look nice and feel nice.

Wah can buy so cheap condo 500K one. Afterall hawker what. Cannot dream of dist.10.

[Unregistered]

http://l.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/nws/p/reuters_logo_94.png
FTSE adds 2.6% on writedown relief rally
Michael Taylor
Reuters
London, U.K.
Tuesday, 1 April 2008, 4:27PM WET

Britain's top share index ended sharply higher on Tuesday, entering the second quarter in buoyant mood as financials jumped on hopes that European bank writedowns signalled that the worst was over for the sector.

The FTSE 100 ended up 2.6%, or 150.5 points, at 5,852.6.

European heavyweight banks UBS and Deutsche Bank both gained after taking big hits on their risky assets -- $19 billion for UBS and $3.9 billion for Deutsche -- which gave their British counterparts a fillip.

Barclays, HBOS, Royal Bank of Scotland and Alliance & Leicester all jumped between 6 and 8%.

"It's certainly been a bumper start to the month and the quarter for equities," said Jimmy Yates, a dealer at CMC Markets. "A lot of positive sentiment is coming out from the fact UBS's new credit writedown is widely hoped to be drawing a line under the recent troubles in the U.S. housing market."

In the previous session, the UK index sealed its worst quarterly performance in more than five years, declining 11.7% in the first three months.

"An equally bullish start on Wall Street after the release of some slightly stronger-than-expected economic data is helping lock in gains," added CMC's Yates.

Across the Atlantic, U.S. stocks rallied after Lehman Brothers helped restore confidence in financials after it said it raised $4 billion in a convertible preferred stock offering to bolster its balance sheet.

The Institute for Supply Management said its manufacturing index for March was stronger than forecast.

The gauge rose to 48.6 in March from 48.3 in February and was closer than expected to the 50 mark, above which signals expansion.

Astra Boost

Pharmaceuticals notched up strong gains, with AstraZeneca advancing 6.9% after two brokerages hiked sales forecasts for the Anglo-Swedish group's Crestor drug, which is emerging as a potential big winner in the fiercely competitive anti-cholesterol market.

JPMorgan upgraded the group to "neutral" from "underweight".

GlaxoSmithKline tacked on 4.6%.

Retail stocks also climbed, with Kingfisher up 7.8%, Next adding 6.8%, and Home Retail Group 7.5% higher, as traders cited short-squeezing.

"It's short-squeezing for the whole retail sector. UBS spooked a few quick-money boys this morning. The retail sector has been one of the sectors where people have been running short," said a trader.

Shares in Friends Provident surged 7.4% on hopes of more bid approaches, extending gains from the previous session when it rejected a bid offer from U.S. private equity firm JC Flowers.

Among midcaps, gambling companies featured among gainers, with both PartyGaming and Rank up 8.4 and 9.9%, respectively, as traders cited persistent bid talk after earlier newspaper reports.

Malaysia-based gaming group Genting, which has a significant stake in British casino, bingo and online betting company Rank, has again been mentioned as a possible suitor for Rank, traders say. Rank and representatives for Genting in London declined to comment.

On the downside, miners lost ground as precious and base metal prices fell. Antofagasta shed 1.5%, Lonmin dipped 2.4%, and Xstrata dropped 1.5%.

U.S. crude CLc1 dipped below $100 a barrel, extending losses from the previous session as a strengthening U.S. dollar triggered a wide sell-off across commodity markets.

BP was flat, and BG Group was 2% lower.

DEAD CAT BOUNCE. DONT BE SUCKED IN.

[Unregistered]

The sour grapes are barking up the wrong sour grape tree.

They think that the coming TOP of large numbers of completion units will cause prices to fall.

Let me point out why it will not.

Simply, because, these units were bought three years ago and they were very cheap.

So the investors borrowed very little from the bank actually. Now the property is worth much much more. The rental yield is much higher than the mortgage interest.

I use myself as illustration. I bought a unit for only $500,000. Now it is worth $900,000. Not yet TOP, but it is expected to fetch a rental yield of around 5% based on the $900,000 price, but I bought it for $500,000, remember.

So that's 9% yield for me, and I am paying the bank only 3% interest a year.

Even if the rental falls due to more supply (which I doubt so because the demand from foreigners and immigrants is very strong), there's no way it can go below my mortgage interest repayment.

Remember ... I borrowed very little money from the bank ... because the property was very cheap three years ago.

So I look forward to the coming TOP.

ps. another reason I look forward to the TOP is because I have a fetish for new condos. They're very nice and smell nice and look nice and feel nice.

Haha smart ones are the ones who cash out and not sit on paper profit. It can go negative as many have experienced during the last decade. Dont bullshit on IR and F1 to justify holding.

[Unregistered]

You are barking from the wrong nut tree. Nobody said that buying property three years ago was bad. In fact it was good and many people have sold out already.

It carries more risk to buy now at current high prices because there could be a correction coming. Interest may be low but the new condo with TOP in 2011 could end up as negative equity.

Even Bravo is letting go of their enbloc acquisition.
Afterall hawker selling sour grape juice. where he got brains to think. is as good as counting your chickens before they hatch as bravo soon found out.

[Unregistered]

The sour grapes are barking up the wrong sour grape tree.

They think that the coming TOP of large numbers of completion units will cause prices to fall.

Let me point out why it will not.

Simply, because, these units were bought three years ago and they were very cheap.

So the investors borrowed very little from the bank actually. Now the property is worth much much more. The rental yield is much higher than the mortgage interest.

I use myself as illustration. I bought a unit for only $500,000. Now it is worth $900,000. Not yet TOP, but it is expected to fetch a rental yield of around 5% based on the $900,000 price, but I bought it for $500,000, remember.

So that's 9% yield for me, and I am paying the bank only 3% interest a year.

Even if the rental falls due to more supply (which I doubt so because the demand from foreigners and immigrants is very strong), there's no way it can go below my mortgage interest repayment.

Remember ... I borrowed very little money from the bank ... because the property was very cheap three years ago.

So I look forward to the coming TOP.

ps. another reason I look forward to the TOP is because I have a fetish for new condos. They're very nice and smell nice and look nice and feel nice.

Wah have to borrow even to buy a 500K shack?

[AP]

http://www.ap.org/media/images/logo.gif
Bank news and economic data boosts stocks to a big rally
Joe Bel Bruno
Business Writer
Associated Press
New York, New York, U.S.
Tuesday, 1 April 2008, 7:31PM U.S. EDT

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Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange April 1, 2008. U.S. stocks extended gains on Tuesday, lifting the benchmarks S&P 500 and the NASDAQ up more than 3% as Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc.'s move to bolster its balance sheet calmed worries about the financial sector's stability. - Photo: Brendan McDermid, AP

Wall Street began the second quarter with a big rally Tuesday as investors rushed back into stocks, optimistic that the worst of the credit crisis has passed and that the economy is faring better than expected. The Dow Jones industrials surged nearly 400 points, and all the major indexes were up more than 3%.

Financial stocks were among the big winners after Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. and Switzerland's UBS AG issued new shares to help bolster their balance sheets. With that upbeat news and a fresh quarter ahead of them, investors appear quite willing to make some bets that the worst of the damage from the nation's credit struggles has been felt. Moreover, the banks' moves buttressed the view that financial services companies are taking aggressive action to improve their capital bases and stave off the potential of a collapse similar to Bear Stearns Cos.

Analysts believe there must be a recovery in bank and brokerages to lead major stock indexes higher. Some of the biggest financial players had their sharpest moves of the year Tuesday — Citigroup Inc. shot up 11%, JPMorgan Chase & Co. rose 9%, and Lehman surged 18%.

"Investors have a difficult time making decisions about the stock market if they don't have confidence in major financial institutions, so there's been a lot of sideline cash," said Richard Cripps, chief market strategist for Stifel Nicolaus. "The extreme conditions that we've seen here over the past few months has been missing that confidence ... but that appears to be changing, and we're seeing the response."

Meanwhile, Wall Street got another boost when the Institute for Supply Management said its March index of national manufacturing activity rose to a reading of 48.6 — indicating a contraction, but a slower one than in February and tamer than many analysts had predicted. Government data on construction spending for February also came in better than expected.

The Dow rose 391.47, or 3.19 percent, to 12,654.36. It marked the eighth-biggest point gain ever for the Dow, and the third time in two weeks it came close to or surpassed 400 points.

Broader stock indicators also gained sharply. The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 47.48, or 3.59%, to 1,370.18 — the index's best start to a second quarter since 1938. And, the Nasdaq composite index rose 83.65, or 3.67%, to 2,362.75.

The advance was in contrast to a lackluster session on Monday, where stocks managed a moderate gain in the final session of a dismal first quarter. Major indexes ended the first three months of 2008 with massive losses, marking the worst period since the third quarter of 2002 when Wall Street was approaching the lowest point of a protracted bear market.

Renewed enthusiasm that the credit crisis might be waning was also felt in the Treasury market, where government securities fell as investors withdrew money to take bets on stocks. The 10-year Treasury note's yield, which moves opposite its price, rose to 3.55% from 3.43% late Monday. The yield edged up to 3.56% in after-hours trading.

In addition to hopes about the financial sector, Wall Street was relieved to see the feeble dollar regain some strength against the euro. The euro fell to $1.5596 from $1.5785 late Monday in New York.

And there was also optimism that commodities prices, which have hit historic highs in recent months, have begun to retreat. Crude fell 60 cents to settle at $100.98 on the New York Mercantile Exchange after earlier falling below $100. Meanwhile, gold dropped back below $900 an ounce.

"This is a nice way to begin the second quarter," said Todd Leone, managing director of equity trading at Cowen & Co. "All the financials are up big, and there's a sense that things are turning. We definitely have not seen the last of the credit crisis, but we're getting closer."

The stock rally was underpinned by the announcements from UBS and Lehman Brothers that they are boosting capital by issuing new stock. Shares of banks and brokerages hovered near multiyear lows in recent months as investors feared heavy losses from investments tied to subprime mortgages would be overwhelming.

Earlier this month, widespread concerns about Bear Stearns' financial position forced the investment bank to sell itself to JPMorgan in a deal engineered by the Federal Reserve — and that stoked fears that other investment houses might follow.

JPMorgan rose $4.05, or 9.4%, to $47; while Bear Stearns was up 36 cents, or 3.4%, to $10.85 — slightly above the $10 per share acquisition price.

UBS, one of Europe's biggest banks, said it will issue up to $15 billion in new stock and that its chairman, Marcel Ospel, had quit. Investors chose to look past the bank's announcement that it will take a fresh $19 billion write-down due to additional declines in the value of its mortgage assets and other credit instruments, following an $18 billion write-down last year. Its shares surged $4.21, or 14.6%, to $33.01 in trading on the New York Stock Exchange.

Lehman Brothers, dogged by speculation it might reveal losses big enough to cripple the company, on Tuesday raised $4 billion of capital to stymie questions about its financial stability. Lehman rose $6.70, or 17.8%, to $44.34.

The Russell 2000 index of smaller companies rose 22.68, or 3.30%, to 710.65.

Advancing issues outnumbered decliners by about 4 to 1 on the New York Stock Exchange, where consolidated volume came to a heavy 4.65 billion shares, compared to 4.02 billion on Monday.

In overseas trade, Tokyo's Nikkei closed up 1.04%. There were gains in Europe too, with London's FTSE rising 2.64%, Frankfurt's DAX gaining 2.84% and Paris' CAC 40 advancing 3.38%.

[Unregistered]

My suggestion to all ppty owners is to continue to hold your units. Don't let go easily. It comes to a point very soon that ppl will start to realize that in order to preserve their assets value is to invest in ppty to hedge the monster inflation that looming into Asia.

Mark my words, Singapore ppty prices will continue to appreciate and double in a year or two.

I support U. Anyway, what is the point of selling (with samll bank loan) if I can only get a mere 1% interest on FD?

[Unregistered]

#55, agree with you. In fact time for you to buy even more. Whatever that has gone up will never come down. Compared to London, NY and elsewhere, Singapore properties are still very, very cheap.

[blackjack21trader]

My suggestion to all ppty owners is to continue to hold your units. Don't let go easily. It comes to a point very soon that ppl will start to realize that in order to preserve their assets value is to invest in ppty to hedge the monster inflation that looming into Asia.

Mark my words, Singapore ppty prices will continue to appreciate and double in a year or two.

I agree. Inflation is a big issue now. If we don't use property to hedge asset value like the past 50 years, what are we going to do ?

[Unregistered]

#55, agree with you. In fact time for you to buy even more. Whatever that has gone up will never come down. Compared to London, NY and elsewhere, Singapore properties are still very, very cheap.

CHIP CHIP See below.
April 2, 2008, The Straits Times
Property market may stay quiet for up to a year
Home prices, sales could remain weak as US sub-prime concerns linger
By Fiona Chan, Property Reporter

A MONTH ago, property consultants were predicting that the cooling market would pick up after June. That optimism has fast drained away.
Consultants now expect home prices and sales to remain weak for up to a year from now, after official estimates yesterday confirmed that price growth was tapering off.

'We can expect residential prices to continue weakening over the next 12 months', in the light of the United States sub-prime debacle and an expected US recession, said Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL). Other consultancies, such as CB Richard Ellis Research, believe price growth will slow further in the second quarter, to '1 per cent or 2 per cent'.

Home sales are also plunging as buyers retreat - and they are expected to stay low as sellers dig in their heels to wait out the slowdown. New home sales were likely to have dropped in the first quarter to one of the lowest levels ever, second only to those recorded during the Sars period.

In the secondary market, sales have fallen to 2005 levels, according to estimates from Savills Singapore. Mid-tier private properties on the city fringe, such as in Novena, Toa Payoh, Marine Parade and Queenstown, are likely to be hardest hit by falling buyer demand. These areas saw the biggest slowdown in price growth in the first 10 weeks of the year, suggesting that prices in these regions may be peaking, said JLL. Buyers in these areas have shallower pockets and are more sensitive to market sentiment, it added.

In the HDB segment, prices have stabilised at about $50,000 cash over valuation or less, said Mr Eugene Lim, assistant vice-president at ERA Realty Network. 'Resale flats priced higher than that take much longer to sell or may not sell at all.'

Phillip Securities Research, meanwhile, aired concerns over the 'huge supply' of homes due to be completed in the next two years. Supply is 'expected to exceed the demand from buyers and result in a slide in local property prices from 2010', it said. HDB plans to release another 5,000 new build-to-order flats in the next six months. There are also 64,900 private homes in the pipeline, of which 90 per cent will be completed by 2011, while 60 per cent have yet to be sold.

Most experts believe, however, that confidence and demand will return by year-end - as long as the Singapore economy stays robust. 'Sellers now take a while to sell their homes, but there are still buyers,' said Mr Eric Cheng, the executive director of HSR property group. 'Last year, it took maybe a month to sell a home. Now, it takes two months. But in 2000 or 2002, it took a year,' he said.

[Unregistered]

You are barking from the wrong nut tree. Nobody said that buying property three years ago was bad. In fact it was good and many people have sold out already.

It carries more risk to buy now at current high prices because there could be a correction coming. Interest may be low but the new condo with TOP in 2011 could end up as negative equity.

Even Bravo is letting go of their enbloc acquisition.

Who tell you that the current ppty prices are high? That's a wrong perception.

Check out our stock market today. The STI is transacted at above 3000 mark these days. Is that high since it was only below 2000 mark a year ago? Of course not. In fact, we all had witnessed that our stock market had hit nearly 4000 mark couple months ago. But, we never heard ppl complain our stock market was too high. So, why ppl still think our ppty prices are high? Ridiculous!

As a matter of fact, our ppty prices today are still below it's historical high in the 90's. So, how can it be considered high, compared to what have been achieved in the stock market?

[Unregistered]

You are barking from the wrong nut tree. Nobody said that buying property three years ago was bad. In fact it was good and many people have sold out already.

It carries more risk to buy now at current high prices because there could be a correction coming. Interest may be low but the new condo with TOP in 2011 could end up as negative equity.

Even Bravo is letting go of their enbloc acquisition.

You are right. It's the new condos with TOP in 2011 that could end up with negative equity.

That's why I am suggesting to all the sour grapes to take a three-year vacation and come back again in 2011 to frighten those people who have bought at a much higher price than me.

Maybe they will be very scared because by then the sub-prime problem would have been in its third year? Or may be they are not scared? I don't know.

[Unregistered]

You are right. It's the new condos with TOP in 2011 that could end up with negative equity.

That's why I am suggesting to all the sour grapes to take a three-year vacation and come back again in 2011 to frighten those people who have bought at a much higher price than me.

Maybe they will be very scared because by then the sub-prime problem would have been in its third year? Or may be they are not scared? I don't know.

CAN U UNDERSTAND. MORON

April 2, 2008, The Straits Times
Property market may stay quiet for up to a year
Home prices, sales could remain weak as US sub-prime concerns linger
By Fiona Chan, Property Reporter

A MONTH ago, property consultants were predicting that the cooling market would pick up after June. That optimism has fast drained away.
Consultants now expect home prices and sales to remain weak for up to a year from now, after official estimates yesterday confirmed that price growth was tapering off.

'We can expect residential prices to continue weakening over the next 12 months', in the light of the United States sub-prime debacle and an expected US recession, said Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL). Other consultancies, such as CB Richard Ellis Research, believe price growth will slow further in the second quarter, to '1 per cent or 2 per cent'.

Home sales are also plunging as buyers retreat - and they are expected to stay low as sellers dig in their heels to wait out the slowdown. New home sales were likely to have dropped in the first quarter to one of the lowest levels ever, second only to those recorded during the Sars period.

In the secondary market, sales have fallen to 2005 levels, according to estimates from Savills Singapore. Mid-tier private properties on the city fringe, such as in Novena, Toa Payoh, Marine Parade and Queenstown, are likely to be hardest hit by falling buyer demand. These areas saw the biggest slowdown in price growth in the first 10 weeks of the year, suggesting that prices in these regions may be peaking, said JLL. Buyers in these areas have shallower pockets and are more sensitive to market sentiment, it added.

In the HDB segment, prices have stabilised at about $50,000 cash over valuation or less, said Mr Eugene Lim, assistant vice-president at ERA Realty Network. 'Resale flats priced higher than that take much longer to sell or may not sell at all.'

Phillip Securities Research, meanwhile, aired concerns over the 'huge supply' of homes due to be completed in the next two years. Supply is 'expected to exceed the demand from buyers and result in a slide in local property prices from 2010', it said. HDB plans to release another 5,000 new build-to-order flats in the next six months. There are also 64,900 private homes in the pipeline, of which 90 per cent will be completed by 2011, while 60 per cent have yet to be sold.

Most experts believe, however, that confidence and demand will return by year-end - as long as the Singapore economy stays robust. 'Sellers now take a while to sell their homes, but there are still buyers,' said Mr Eric Cheng, the executive director of HSR property group. 'Last year, it took maybe a month to sell a home. Now, it takes two months. But in 2000 or 2002, it took a year,' he said.

[Unregistered]

You are right. It's the new condos with TOP in 2011 that could end up with negative equity.

That's why I am suggesting to all the sour grapes to take a three-year vacation and come back again in 2011 to frighten those people who have bought at a much higher price than me.

Maybe they will be very scared because by then the sub-prime problem would have been in its third year? Or may be they are not scared? I don't know.
Well we know your capacity. Borrowing for a 500K shack.

[Unregistered]

This is the wisest saying. People are too short sighted. To each his own, these people may be able to buy lower, but until then they have to pay the price of anticipation. If their expectations don't come true, it's all but wasted time and energy. Then after they have bought, they will keep comparing around to assure themselves that theirs was the best timed deal. Otherwise, they continue to feel gloomy because they didnt catch the bottom.

No need to blame them. We all know we are a kiasu society which will always su su and su.

Just ask yourself why there are so many eager buyers out there waiting for the price to drop so they can buy cheap? Because they all agree with you that Singaproe ppty fundamental is very solid and a sure make money in middle to long term. If that is the case, will you still believe that you can find a seller who will lower the price and sell to you to let you make a big profit?

[Unregistered]

Well we know your capacity. Borrowing for a 500K shack.
YES BRO HE SHOULD BE DISCUSSING ON A HDB OR DORM FORUM

[Unregistered]

http://www.todayonline.com/articles/246078.asp


First signs of housing market slowdown
By Tan Hui Leng, TODAY | Posted: 02 April 2008 0828 hrs


Singapore - AFTER property fever hit euphoric levels last year, flash estimates from the Housing and Development Board and the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) show the growth in real estate is slowing down significantly.

The index for the private home market showed prices rose 4.2 per cent in the first three month, down from the last quarter’s 6.8 per cent growth.

And looking ahead, some property watchers are taking a more subdued stand — expecting private property prices to inch forward a modest 1 to 2 per cent in the second quarter, and 5 to 10 per cent for the whole of this year. Should the economy contract on the back of a United States recession, home prices could fall for the first time since 2004, said an analyst.

But, PropNex chief executive officer Mohd Ismail, for one, is optimistic. While foreign interest last year buoyed the property market in the downtown and core central region, he said, strong domestic demand is expected to drive growth in the mass market.

He noted how condominiums in outlying estates such as Woodlands and
Jurong East are averaging $550 to $600 per square foot (psf), which is “still very affordable pricing that has moved up marginally from before the boom last year”. He predicted: “The mass market will continue to perform with prices expected to well exceed 10 per cent for 2008.”

He attributed the first quarter’s results to a low volume of transactions, due to many developers holding back property launches and sellers holding on to their properties.

ERA noted that after a fast-paced 2007, the private housing market seems to have come to “some form of standstill”.

“The lower overall price increase indicates that buyers have turned cautious in view of continued concerns about the US economy, sub-prime crisis and the
erratic stock market,” said ERA’s assistant vice-president Eugene Lim.

Knight Frank, which expects the rate of increase of private home prices to remain below 5 per cent in the first three quarters, outlined the most sobering scenario.

“If the economy were to contract in the coming months, home prices would face strong downward pressure and could experience their first decline since first quarter 2004,” said its director of consultancy and research Nicholas Mak.

Flash estimates are compiled based on transaction prices given in caveats lodged in the first ten weeks of the quarter, supplemented by information on the number of new units sold.

More complete statistics will be updated four weeks later and the URA notes, the difference between the flash estimate and actual price changes could be significant when the change is small

[Unregistered]

Hello , Everthing blur..blur to sale or not to sale that is the question.Can buy gold and sale property
Gold going down lah, hahahahahaha, idiot.

[Unregistered]

http://www.todayonline.com/articles/246078.asp


First signs of housing market slowdown
By Tan Hui Leng, TODAY | Posted: 02 April 2008 0828 hrs


Singapore - AFTER property fever hit euphoric levels last year, flash estimates from the Housing and Development Board and the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) show the growth in real estate is slowing down significantly.

The index for the private home market showed prices rose 4.2 per cent in the first three month, down from the last quarter’s 6.8 per cent growth.

And looking ahead, some property watchers are taking a more subdued stand — expecting private property prices to inch forward a modest 1 to 2 per cent in the second quarter, and 5 to 10 per cent for the whole of this year. Should the economy contract on the back of a United States recession, home prices could fall for the first time since 2004, said an analyst.

But, PropNex chief executive officer Mohd Ismail, for one, is optimistic. While foreign interest last year buoyed the property market in the downtown and core central region, he said, strong domestic demand is expected to drive growth in the mass market.

He noted how condominiums in outlying estates such as Woodlands and
Jurong East are averaging $550 to $600 per square foot (psf), which is “still very affordable pricing that has moved up marginally from before the boom last year”. He predicted: “The mass market will continue to perform with prices expected to well exceed 10 per cent for 2008.”

He attributed the first quarter’s results to a low volume of transactions, due to many developers holding back property launches and sellers holding on to their properties.

ERA noted that after a fast-paced 2007, the private housing market seems to have come to “some form of standstill”.

“The lower overall price increase indicates that buyers have turned cautious in view of continued concerns about the US economy, sub-prime crisis and the
erratic stock market,” said ERA’s assistant vice-president Eugene Lim.

Knight Frank, which expects the rate of increase of private home prices to remain below 5 per cent in the first three quarters, outlined the most sobering scenario.

“If the economy were to contract in the coming months, home prices would face strong downward pressure and could experience their first decline since first quarter 2004,” said its director of consultancy and research Nicholas Mak.

Flash estimates are compiled based on transaction prices given in caveats lodged in the first ten weeks of the quarter, supplemented by information on the number of new units sold.

More complete statistics will be updated four weeks later and the URA notes, the difference between the flash estimate and actual price changes could be significant when the change is small
Well well well....cannot camouflage for long. The cat will be out of the bag soon. No wonder developers are getting cold feet.

[Unregistered]

CHIP CHIP See below.
April 2, 2008, The Straits Times
Property market may stay quiet for up to a year
Home prices, sales could remain weak as US sub-prime concerns linger
By Fiona Chan, Property Reporter

..........
What is cheap? The current property prices?

Yes, you right.
Now that the US sub-prime concern is going away, the current property price is indeed cheap.
The problem is there but the concern is going away.

If the concern remain, the price is still not necessary high. Now that it is going away, it is definitely cheap.

http://www.ap.org/media/images/logo.gif
Bank news and economic data boosts stocks to a big rally
Joe Bel Bruno
Business Writer
Associated Press
New York, New York, U.S.
Tuesday, 1 April 2008, 7:31PM U.S. EDT

http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/nm/20080402/2008_04_01t160317_450x297_us_markets_stocks.jpg
Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange April 1, 2008. U.S. stocks extended gains on Tuesday, lifting the benchmarks S&P 500 and the NASDAQ up more than 3% as Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc.'s move to bolster its balance sheet calmed worries about the financial sector's stability. - Photo: Brendan McDermid, AP

Wall Street began the second quarter with a big rally Tuesday as investors rushed back into stocks, optimistic that the worst of the credit crisis has passed and that the economy is faring better than expected. The Dow Jones industrials surged nearly 400 points, and all the major indexes were up more than 3%.

Financial stocks were among the big winners after Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. and Switzerland's UBS AG issued new shares to help bolster their balance sheets. With that upbeat news and a fresh quarter ahead of them, investors appear quite willing to make some bets that the worst of the damage from the nation's credit struggles has been felt. Moreover, the banks' moves buttressed the view that financial services companies are taking aggressive action to improve their capital bases and stave off the potential of a collapse similar to Bear Stearns Cos.

Analysts believe there must be a recovery in bank and brokerages to lead major stock indexes higher. Some of the biggest financial players had their sharpest moves of the year Tuesday — Citigroup Inc. shot up 11%, JPMorgan Chase & Co. rose 9%, and Lehman surged 18%.

"Investors have a difficult time making decisions about the stock market if they don't have confidence in major financial institutions, so there's been a lot of sideline cash," said Richard Cripps, chief market strategist for Stifel Nicolaus. "The extreme conditions that we've seen here over the past few months has been missing that confidence ... but that appears to be changing, and we're seeing the response."

Meanwhile, Wall Street got another boost when the Institute for Supply Management said its March index of national manufacturing activity rose to a reading of 48.6 — indicating a contraction, but a slower one than in February and tamer than many analysts had predicted. Government data on construction spending for February also came in better than expected.

The Dow rose 391.47, or 3.19 percent, to 12,654.36. It marked the eighth-biggest point gain ever for the Dow, and the third time in two weeks it came close to or surpassed 400 points.

Broader stock indicators also gained sharply. The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 47.48, or 3.59%, to 1,370.18 — the index's best start to a second quarter since 1938. And, the Nasdaq composite index rose 83.65, or 3.67%, to 2,362.75.

The advance was in contrast to a lackluster session on Monday, where stocks managed a moderate gain in the final session of a dismal first quarter. Major indexes ended the first three months of 2008 with massive losses, marking the worst period since the third quarter of 2002 when Wall Street was approaching the lowest point of a protracted bear market.

Renewed enthusiasm that the credit crisis might be waning was also felt in the Treasury market, where government securities fell as investors withdrew money to take bets on stocks. The 10-year Treasury note's yield, which moves opposite its price, rose to 3.55% from 3.43% late Monday. The yield edged up to 3.56% in after-hours trading.

In addition to hopes about the financial sector, Wall Street was relieved to see the feeble dollar regain some strength against the euro. The euro fell to $1.5596 from $1.5785 late Monday in New York.

And there was also optimism that commodities prices, which have hit historic highs in recent months, have begun to retreat. Crude fell 60 cents to settle at $100.98 on the New York Mercantile Exchange after earlier falling below $100. Meanwhile, gold dropped back below $900 an ounce.

"This is a nice way to begin the second quarter," said Todd Leone, managing director of equity trading at Cowen & Co. "All the financials are up big, and there's a sense that things are turning. We definitely have not seen the last of the credit crisis, but we're getting closer."

The stock rally was underpinned by the announcements from UBS and Lehman Brothers that they are boosting capital by issuing new stock. Shares of banks and brokerages hovered near multiyear lows in recent months as investors feared heavy losses from investments tied to subprime mortgages would be overwhelming.

Earlier this month, widespread concerns about Bear Stearns' financial position forced the investment bank to sell itself to JPMorgan in a deal engineered by the Federal Reserve — and that stoked fears that other investment houses might follow.

JPMorgan rose $4.05, or 9.4%, to $47; while Bear Stearns was up 36 cents, or 3.4%, to $10.85 — slightly above the $10 per share acquisition price.

UBS, one of Europe's biggest banks, said it will issue up to $15 billion in new stock and that its chairman, Marcel Ospel, had quit. Investors chose to look past the bank's announcement that it will take a fresh $19 billion write-down due to additional declines in the value of its mortgage assets and other credit instruments, following an $18 billion write-down last year. Its shares surged $4.21, or 14.6%, to $33.01 in trading on the New York Stock Exchange.

Lehman Brothers, dogged by speculation it might reveal losses big enough to cripple the company, on Tuesday raised $4 billion of capital to stymie questions about its financial stability. Lehman rose $6.70, or 17.8%, to $44.34.

The Russell 2000 index of smaller companies rose 22.68, or 3.30%, to 710.65.

Advancing issues outnumbered decliners by about 4 to 1 on the New York Stock Exchange, where consolidated volume came to a heavy 4.65 billion shares, compared to 4.02 billion on Monday.

In overseas trade, Tokyo's Nikkei closed up 1.04%. There were gains in Europe too, with London's FTSE rising 2.64%, Frankfurt's DAX gaining 2.84% and Paris' CAC 40 advancing 3.38%.

[Unregistered]

What is cheap? The current property prices?

Yes, you right.
Now that the US sub-prime concern is going away, the current property price is indeed cheap.
The problem is there but the concern is going away.

If the concern remain, the price is still not necessary high. Now that it is going away, it is definitely cheap.
Poor guy thinking that the dead cat bounce is a sign of economy going up? Wah so ignorant morons here. If you are so sure then sell your property and put everything in stocks. woooohahahahaha.

[Unregistered]

Poor guy thinking that the dead cat bounce is a sign of economy going up? Wah so ignorant morons here. If you are so sure then sell your property and put everything in stocks. woooohahahahaha.
Poor guy thinking that the record rally and the URA's figure are April jokes? Wah so ignorant morons here. If you are so sure then sell both your property and sell your stocks. woooohahahahaha.

[Unregistered]

What is cheap? The current property prices?

Yes, you right.
Now that the US sub-prime concern is going away, the current property price is indeed cheap.
The problem is there but the concern is going away.

If the concern remain, the price is still not necessary high. Now that it is going away, it is definitely cheap.

Another Moron. ----CHIP CHIP---

[Unregistered]

ADB Cuts Asia's Economic Growth Forecasts, Warns of Inflation

By Shamim Adam

April 2 (Bloomberg) -- The Asian Development Bank lowered its growth forecasts for Asia's developing economies as a global slowdown weighs on exports and expansions in China and India cool.

Asia excluding Japan is predicted to expand 7.6 percent this year, less than a September estimate of 8.2 percent, the Manila- based lender said in a report today. The economies grew 8.7 percent in 2007, the fastest clip in almost two decades.

Asian central bank officials are balancing the threat of an economic slowdown against signs of quickening inflation fed by record energy and commodity prices. Measures to damp inflation will dominate central banks' policies this year, the ADB said, the second organization this week after the World Bank to warn of the threat of rising prices to the region.

``The major risk lies not so much in softer growth but in rising commodity prices and accelerating inflation,'' the ADB said. ``Appropriate macroeconomic responses to accelerating inflation are likely to include tighter monetary policy and some exchange-rate appreciation.''

Crude oil rose to a record $111.80 a barrel last month, while prices of food staples including rice, wheat, soybeans and palm oil have surged amid increased demand and higher fuel and freight costs.

In China, inflation has surged to the fastest pace in 11 years, while consumer prices in Sri Lanka and Vietnam have neared or exceeded 20 percent. Singapore's consumer price gains have reached levels not seen since 1982.

Highest in Decade

``Inflation in developing Asia is expected to accelerate and could hit a decade-long regional high,'' the report said.

The region's economies, almost twice as reliant on overseas sales as the rest of the world, are being dragged down by weakness in the U.S., Japan and Europe, the markets for 60 percent of Asian shipments.

``Although developing Asia is now exporting more to other emerging economies, this is unlikely to compensate fully for losses in the much larger, more established markets,'' the lender said. ``Market penetration of Asian suppliers in China's final goods markets is limited, and strong growth in China will provide only a limited cushion against the downturn'' in the U.S., Europe and Japan.

U.S. growth slowed to 2.5 percent in the fourth quarter from a year earlier and half of the economists in a Bloomberg News survey last month expect a recession this year.

U.S. Slowdown

The Federal Reserve has lowered its benchmark lending rate six times since September to cushion consumers and companies from the worst of a credit crunch that's made some of the world's biggest banks reluctant to lend to each other.

``The depth and duration of the U.S. slowdown will have knock-on effects elsewhere in the global economy,'' the report said. ``Though the prospect of a recession in either the eurozone or Japan looks less likely than in the U.S., growth is expected to decelerate sharply there.''

The Asian Development Bank reduced its growth forecasts for China and India, the world's two fastest-growing major economies. China's expansion will slow to 10 percent this year from 11.4 percent in 2007, while India's will ease to 8 percent in 2008 from 8.7 percent last year.

China's ``2007 performance suggests strong momentum going into 2008, maintaining a risk of overheating in some sectors and inflation becoming more entrenched,'' the ADB said. ``Net exports will be hit by a combination of weaker external demand, domestic policies to restrict some exports, currency appreciation, and rising local costs for labor and land.''

China's Interest Rates

The People's Bank of China will probably raise interest rates and order lenders to set aside more deposits as reserves this year, the report said. The central bank is also expected to allow the yuan to gain at a faster pace against the U.S. dollar.

The Reserve Bank of India is likely to hold off any interest-rate reductions until after the country's elections, the ADB said. The government faces elections before May 2009.

``The growth outcomes in the economy over the next two years will depend in part on the timing and scope for relaxing the present tight monetary policy,'' the report said. ``Easing of the lending rates and revival of the consumer durable goods sector and construction activities are important for achieving a pickup in industrial growth.''

The Asian Development Bank predicted that the region's expansion will quicken to 7.8 percent in 2009. While Asia's growth is still ``solid'' amid an ``unsteady'' global economy, it will depend on how domestic challenges are met, the ADB said.

``Developing Asia will not be immune to the global economic slowdown, nor will it be hostage to it,'' the lender said. ``Once Asia has passed through the gathering storm of rising commodity prices and inflation, its growth prospects are likely to depend much more on how successfully countries manage their economies and overcome domestic constraints to growth.''

[Unregistered]

What is cheap? The current property prices?

Yes, you right.
Now that the US sub-prime concern is going away, the current property price is indeed cheap.
The problem is there but the concern is going away.

If the concern remain, the price is still not necessary high. Now that it is going away, it is definitely cheap.


Another Moron. ----CHIP CHIP---
Another Moron, who has nothing to contribute but the words "CHIP CHIP". What a CHIP-CHIP Moron!

[Unregistered]

http://l.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/nws/p/reuters_logo_94.png
Market adds to gains after factory data
Caroline Valetkevitch
Reuters
New York, New York, U.S.
Tuesday, 1 April 2008, 10:10AM U.S. EDT

http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/nm/20080401/2008_04_01t064246_450x302_us_markets_stocks.jpg
A logo of U.S. investment bank Lehman Brothers is seen outside its Asia headquarters in 1 April 2008 - Photo: Yuriko Nakao, Reuters

Stocks added to gains on Tuesday after stronger-than-expected data on U.S. factory activity eased some concerns about the economy.

The Dow Jones industrial average was up 223.26 points, or 1.82%, at 12,486.15. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index was up 23.52 points, or 1.78%, at 1,346.22. The Nasdaq Composite Index was up 43.10 points, or 1.89%, at 2,322.20.
The figures are showing US economy is turning around. No wonder the big rally in the US and across the whole Europe. Asia is enjoying this rally now.

US economy turning around is definitely good news! Keep it up!

[Unregistered]

ADB Cuts Asia's Economic Growth Forecasts, Warns of Inflation

By Shamim Adam

..........
..........
Careful of inflation.
Better hedge it.

[Unregistered]

Wah can buy so cheap condo 500K one. Afterall hawker what. Cannot dream of dist.10.?


Afterall hawker selling sour grape juice. where he got brains to think. is as good as counting your chickens before they hatch as bravo soon found out.?


Wah have to borrow even to buy a 500K shack??

Why are you so fascinated with district 10? I also happen to have district 10 but its TOP was decades ago.

I am using my dist. 4 property as illustration because of its impending TOP, to illustrate why it is meaningless for sour grapes to frighten people with the impending TOP.

"borrow even to buy a 500K shack??"

This is where you don't understand.

Borrowing allows you to leverage and invest in more properties.

In today's low interest rate environment, it makes more sense to borrow from the bank, compared to placing money in the bank.

By the way, I am not that "hawker" who has a sugar-cane machine to crush sour grapes with his $$$$.

[Unregistered]

My suggestion to all ppty owners is to continue to hold your units. Don't let go easily. It comes to a point very soon that ppl will start to realize that in order to preserve their assets value is to invest in ppty to hedge the monster inflation that looming into Asia.

Mark my words, Singapore ppty prices will continue to appreciate and double in a year or two.

Your argument is justifiable. The reason why our ppty market takes a breather is not totally due to the subprime issue alone but also due to strengthening of Sing dollar.

In fact, subprime issue did not have a direct impact towards the real economy in Asia, especially Singapore. Look at Hong kong, the ppty prices over there have continued to rise amid the subprime crisis. Why in HK the ppty prices can continue to soar and exceed their 1996 historical peak, while here we have to take a breather? Because HK dollar was pegged with US dollar. So, when US dollar weaken HK dollar also follows suit, this cause the ppty assets in HK was undervalued, so prices jump up.

Here, we know there are many foreign funds waiting to enter our ppty market and praise the Singapore growth story. But, why there are still no action yet? Because of the strong Sing dollar which make our ppty prices appear less attractive. But thing will change fast once the inflation issue is softening and MAS will allow Singapore dollar exchange rate to revert back to it's moderate level. By then guess what? Foreign funds will buy out all our ppty and prices will soar rapidly to the new plateau for sure.

[Unregistered]

Your argument is justifiable. The reason why our ppty market takes a breather is not totally due to the subprime issue alone but also due to strengthening of Sing dollar.

In fact, subprime issue did not have a direct impact towards the real economy in Asia, especially Singapore. Look at Hong kong, the ppty prices over there have continued to rise amid the subprime crisis. Why in HK the ppty prices can continue to soar and exceed their 1996 historical peak, while here we have to take a breather? Because HK dollar was pegged with US dollar. So, when US dollar weaken HK dollar also follows suit, this cause the ppty assets in HK was undervalued, so prices jump up.

Here, we know there are many foreign funds waiting to enter our ppty market and praise the Singapore growth story. But, why there are still no action yet? Because of the strong Sing dollar which make our ppty prices appear less attractive. But thing will change fast once the inflation issue is softening and MAS will allow Singapore dollar exchange rate to revert back to it's moderate level. By then guess what? Foreign funds will buy out all our ppty and prices will soar rapidly to the new plateau for sure.
You have a point there, yes, our Sing dollar is very strong now.

[Unregistered]

The figures are showing US economy is turning around. No wonder the big rally in the US and across the whole Europe. Asia is enjoying this rally now.

US economy turning around is definitely good news! Keep it up!

YES IN ONE DAY EVERYTHING TURNED AROUND. US ECONOMY GROWING. ALL SUB PRIME ISSUES OVER. MANUFACTURING GOING UP. HOUSING SALES ALSO SOARING. JOBS INCREASING.

GO AND HAVE YOUR BRAIN SCANNED NOW. DONT DELAY. TELL THE DOC THAT YOU WANT TO CONTINUE GETTING THESE HALLUCINATIONS. FEELS GOOD RIGHT?

[Unregistered]

You have a point there, yes, our Sing dollar is very strong now.
Right time to buy US$.

[Unregistered]

YES IN ONE DAY EVERYTHING TURNED AROUND. US ECONOMY GROWING. ALL SUB PRIME ISSUES OVER. MANUFACTURING GOING UP. HOUSING SALES ALSO SOARING. JOBS INCREASING.

GO AND HAVE YOUR BRAIN SCANNED NOW. DONT DELAY. TELL THE DOC THAT YOU WANT TO CONTINUE GETTING THESE HALLUCINATIONS. FEELS GOOD RIGHT?
Big cock talking cork again!

[Unregistered]

YES IN ONE DAY EVERYTHING TURNED AROUND. US ECONOMY GROWING. ALL SUB PRIME ISSUES OVER. MANUFACTURING GOING UP. HOUSING SALES ALSO SOARING. JOBS INCREASING.

GO AND HAVE YOUR BRAIN SCANNED NOW. DONT DELAY. TELL THE DOC THAT YOU WANT TO CONTINUE GETTING THESE HALLUCINATIONS. FEELS GOOD RIGHT?

AND ALSO IN 1 DAY, U DISAPPEAR IN AIR TOO!!!!!! MORON

[Unregistered]

Wah HK up 1050 points. Soon 30000 will be a reality.

[Unregistered]

AND ALSO IN 1 DAY, U DISAPPEAR IN AIR TOO!!!!!! MORON
lol SOS...stuckkkkkkkkkkkkk ohhhhhhhhhh stuckkkkkkkkkkk.

[Unregistered]

Wah HK up 1050 points. Soon 30000 will be a reality.
YES SELL INTO THE RALLY LIKE THE FAT CATS.

[Unregistered]

Wah HK up 1050 points. Soon 30000 will be a reality.

Tomorrow down 2000**pts

[Unregistered]

OH 59% UNSOLD. HEARD THAT? 59% UNSOLD. IT IS WRITTEN IN SIMPLE ENGLISH MORONS.

Stupid fools, I am talking about property prices up by 4.2%, don't try to confuse us with 59% unsold. U mean all along all units built is 100% sold???

Go and check last 10 years records, 59% unsold is sup sup sue. Many desperado enblockers getting millions of dollars looking for a shelter now. Walk in walk out of condos trying to find cheap buys but in the end, all went home disappointed.

I just don't understand all yr logic. If the prices drop by 20%, will you really buy??? I bet you will still kbkp why did'nt drop to 30% or 40%. Unless the police now go back to the old days and starts to wear shorts!!!

[Unregistered]

No need to blame them. We all know we are a kiasu society which will always su su and su.

Just ask yourself why there are so many eager buyers out there waiting for the price to drop so they can buy cheap? Because they all agree with you that Singaproe ppty fundamental is very solid and a sure make money in middle to long term. If that is the case, will you still believe that you can find a seller who will lower the price and sell to you to let you make a big profit?

Well said. Thats why all these poor sour grapes are so frustrated that the Q1 prices rose by 4.2% despite all the bad news. They all tan ku ku for the property price to go down. But there again, I bet they all have no balls to buy even if the prices go down by 10% becos they are all greedy looking for a 40% decrease. I repeat, you all sour grapes can TAN KU KU.

[Unregistered]

New idea -- how abt having betting set up for property prices on singapore pools .A index for next year April 1 ,2008 can be set up .. say 200 or 100 -- chose the side and bet the money ?

don't think Property Price Index up is good for the sellers who are waiting to sell their property. At higher price, it does not attract buyers, and everyone is expecting the price to come down, price index shown up,more buyers will stay away....

What you guys think?

[Unregistered]

don't think Property Price Index up is good for the sellers who are waiting to sell their property. At higher price, it does not attract buyers, and everyone is expecting the price to come down, price index shown up,more buyers will stay away....

What you guys think?

If you don't need one of course you don't buy. But, if you really need one then just pay the price and move in. Who can predict where the price is heading to? Even the most often quoted best ppty analysts still keep on revising his comments one week after another. This week he said up, and the following week he predicted down and so on and so forth.

Don't ruin your personal plan just because of the price.

[blackjack21trader]

If you don't need one of course you don't buy. But, if you really need one then just pay the price and move in. Who can predict where the price is heading to? Even the most often quoted best ppty analysts still keep on revising his comments one week after another. This week he said up, and the following week he predicted down and so on and so forth.

Don't ruin your personal plan just because of the price.

Good point. I think many of us are confused by the sheer amount of market news posted here bombarding at us, so much so that we forget our objectives in investment.:)

[Unregistered]

don't think Property Price Index up is good for the sellers who are waiting to sell their property. At higher price, it does not attract buyers, and everyone is expecting the price to come down, price index shown up,more buyers will stay away....

What you guys think?

Tend to agree, even though the prices inches up, we can see that it is at a reducing rate compared to the previous quarter. This is a sign of the market (property) slowing down. Also, actual & detailed figures not out yet, I would think the units sold is relatively much lower than previous quarter also. Now, with supply increasing in the next few quarters, at present, looking at the trend, most people (so call analysts who looks at figures , data and trends) will predict a price drop as the days passes. I may be wrong though.......

[Unregistered]

Tend to agree, even though the prices inches up, we can see that it is at a reducing rate compared to the previous quarter. This is a sign of the market (property) slowing down. Also, actual & detailed figures not out yet, I would think the units sold is relatively much lower than previous quarter also. Now, with supply increasing in the next few quarters, at present, looking at the trend, most people (so call analysts who looks at figures , data and trends) will predict a price drop as the days passes. I may be wrong though.......
You are wrong. Prices wont drop.......they will come tumbling down. Same pattern being formed from the last crash.

[Unregistered]

Stupid fools, I am talking about property prices up by 4.2%, don't try to confuse us with 59% unsold. U mean all along all units built is 100% sold???

Go and check last 10 years records, 59% unsold is sup sup sue. Many desperado enblockers getting millions of dollars looking for a shelter now. Walk in walk out of condos trying to find cheap buys but in the end, all went home disappointed.

I just don't understand all yr logic. If the prices drop by 20%, will you really buy??? I bet you will still kbkp why did'nt drop to 30% or 40%. Unless the police now go back to the old days and starts to wear shorts!!!

It is better for them to Walk in walk out of condos trying to find cheap buys but in the end, all went home disappointed than for u to jump in and out of this forum like a MORON

[Unregistered]

Stupid fools, I am talking about property prices up by 4.2%, don't try to confuse us with 59% unsold. U mean all along all units built is 100% sold???

Go and check last 10 years records, 59% unsold is sup sup sue. Many desperado enblockers getting millions of dollars looking for a shelter now. Walk in walk out of condos trying to find cheap buys but in the end, all went home disappointed.

I just don't understand all yr logic. If the prices drop by 20%, will you really buy??? I bet you will still kbkp why did'nt drop to 30% or 40%. Unless the police now go back to the old days and starts to wear shorts!!!
Stupid fool many developers already sweating over enbloc deals they signed. Soon excess supply. Many enbloc's still in limbo. Go and check yrself. Police may not wear shorts but you may lose your pants.

[Unregistered]

Stupid fool many developers already sweating over enbloc deals they signed. Soon excess supply. Many enbloc's still in limbo. Go and check yrself. Police may not wear shorts but you may lose your pants.
Why you get so frustrated?
Price index only up a pathetic 4.2% what.

What's the difference between buying at $1.000 and $1.042?
No difference! Just go buy and stop venting your frustration here.

[Unregistered]

You are wrong. Prices wont drop.......they will come tumbling down. Same pattern being formed from the last crash.

You are right only if rental market lost momentum, as refer to last crash pattern.

[Unregistered]

Stupid fool many developers already sweating over enbloc deals they signed. Soon excess supply. Many enbloc's still in limbo. Go and check yrself. Police may not wear shorts but you may lose your pants.

Hopefully they can get the money fast, if not .... especially those who have booked a unit.

[Unregistered]

You are wrong. Prices wont drop.......they will come tumbling down. Same pattern being formed from the last crash.

To tumble down like last crash is not possible cos ppl n the gov are smarter now. ecomony are stronger compare last. but price dropping is sure certain, to wat level god only know, like any investement, it is hard to catch the bottom, but certainly dun catch falling knife., u might be killed. at tis moment,
it pays to be extra careful.

[Reuters]

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Asian stocks surge as bank moves bring relief
Tom Miles
Reuters
Hong Kong SAR
Wednesday, 2 April 2008

Asian stocks jumped and bonds fell on Wednesday after a Lehman Brothers securities offering met strong demand, raising hopes that the worst of the credit crisis might be over.

A US$19 billion write-down by Swiss bank UBS AG reinforced the view that the banks were aggressively scrubbing their books clean of soured investments tied to the U.S. housing market.

The change of mood boosted the dollar, which in turned pushed oil back down towards US$100 a barrel The currency held on to its gains in early Asian trade.

"The market has become somewhat confident that banks can overcome this crisis," said Kosuke Hanao, head of currency sales at HSBC. "The dollar's rebound may continue for a month."

The euro was little changed from its level in late New York trade at $1.5600, in sight of Tuesday's one-week low around $1.5560 and well below a record high of $1.5905 hit last month.

The dollar was quoted at 101.80 yen, little changed here, too, after jumping around 2 yen on Tuesday.

Bank shares led stock markets higher, lifting Japan's benchmark Nikkei 3.3% by 0041 GMT and shares in the rest of Asia .MIAPJ0000PUS 1.5%.

Australia's S&P/ASX 200 was up 2.8% and South Korea's benchmark KOSPI 2.2%. Seoul financials such as Kookmin Bank and Woori Finance Holdings surged more than 5% and Australia's Macquarie Group rose more than 8%.

The share price jumps followed big gains in JPMorgan Chase & Co, Bank of America and Citigroup on Tuesday, which helped to drive both the Dow average and the S&P 500 up more than 3%.

U.S. technology stocks also had a strong start to the quarter. Nasdaq leapt more than 3%, helped by Microsoft, which rose 4% after saying it would not raise its takeover offer for Yahoo Inc..

But the buoyant sentiment in stocks drained enthusiasm for bonds. Japanese government bond futures followed U.S. Treasuries lower. June 10-year JGB futures 2JGBv1 dropped 0.30 point to 139.50 at the opening, before recovering to 139.72.

U.S. crude oil CLc1, which had settled down 60 cents on Tuesday at $100.98 a barrel after losing more than $4 on Monday, held steady in early Asian trade.

Gold regained some strength on a technical rebound after falling to a two-month low on Tuesday, when the rise in the dollar and the U.S. stock rally sparked selling in precious metals. Gold rose to $889.30/890.10 an ounce from $884.20/885.40 late in New York.

[Reuters]

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Dollar Holds Gains as Credit Worries Ease
Satomi Noguchi
Reuters
Tokyo, Japan
Wednesday, 2 April 2008

The dollar steadied against the euro and the Swiss franc on Wednesday, keeping sharp gains made the previous session on hopes that the latest rash of bank writedowns has marked the worst of the credit crisis.

Traders said worries about the fate of financial firms had eased somewhat after Lehman Brothers raised $4 billion to shore up its balance sheet, providing a boost to the dollar.

"The market has become somewhat confident that banks can overcome this crisis," said Kosuke Hanao, head of forex sales at HSBC.

"The dollar's rebound may continue for a month."

The euro was little changed from its level in late New York trade at $1.5600, in sight of Tuesday's one-week low around $1.5560 and well below a record high of $1.5905 hit last month.

The dollar steadied against the Swiss franc at 1.0120 francs after climbing to around 1.0140 francs the previous session, off an all-time low near 0.9600 francs struck in March.

The dollar edged down 0.2% to 101.60 yen. Traders said heavy selling from Japanese exporters capped the dollar's gains after jumping above 102 yen on Tuesday for the first time since early March. The U.S. currency had plunged to a 13-year low of 95.77 yen in March 17.

Investors had been nervous that other financial firms could go the way of Bear Stearns, which nearly collapsed last month amid a liquidity crisis.

But a $19 billion writedown by Swiss bank UBS reinforced the view that the banks were aggressively scrubbing their books clean of soured investments tied to the slumping U.S. housing market. UBS also said it would raise $15 billion in fresh capital through a rights issue of shares.

Still, some warned the U.S. currency may be in for renewed selling unless upcoming data begins to paint a sunnier picture of the U.S. economy.

On Tuesday, data from the U.S. Institute for Supply Management showed a continued contraction in the manufacturing sector while prices jumped to their highest since 2005. ID:nN01224839

If employment data due on Friday shows the U.S. economy shed jobs for a third straight month in March, analysts said the dollar could fall back towards record lows against the euro and the Swiss franc.

"There won't be any question about the dollar starting to fall again after the U.S. jobs data, especially when the market is swinging between extreme pessimism and optimism," said Kengo Suzuki, a currency strategist at Shinko Securities.

For clues about the jobs data, investors will look to a report on private sector employment from Automatic Data Processing (ADP) due later in the day.

The ADP report is expected to show that private sector employment shrank by 48,000 jobs in March.

Also on Wednesday, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke is scheduled to testify on the economic outlook, though analysts expect it to offer few surprises.

[mr funny]

Published April 2, 2008

Home prices hold their own, but just barely

Analysts expect at least one quarterly dip this year

By KALPANA RASHIWALA


(SINGAPORE) Despite the quieter market, home prices continued to edge up in the first quarter, although at a slower pace, latest flash estimates show.

The quarter-on-quarter rate of increase in the Urban Redevelopment Authority's price index for private homes decelerated to 4.2 per cent in Q1 this year, after a 6.8 per cent gain in Q4 2007.

Some property consultants are now factoring in declines for at least one of the remaining three quarters of this year, as the full impact of the US economic slowdown bites into the local property market.

URA's flash estimate also showed that regional sub-indices for non-landed private home prices posted smaller gains all-round in Q1 this year than they did in Q4 2007. However, the 4.8 per cent increase in the Outside Central Region (OCR) in Q1 outpaced gains of 4.4 per cent in the Core Central Region (CCR) and 3.9 per cent in the Rest of Central Region (RCR) - for the first time in four years.

Jones Lang LaSalle said prices are steady in the CCR, supported by deep-pocketed investors, but may be peaking in the RCR, while demand continues to be strong in the OCR as en bloc sellers pick up replacement homes in the suburbs, where prices are relatively more attractive.

In the public housing segment, the Housing & Development Board's flash estimate shows that the HDB resale flat price index rose 3.4 per cent in Q1 over the preceding quarter, again slower than the 5.7 per cent increase posted in Q4 last year.

Knight Frank director (consultancy and research) Nicholas Mak said that in a worst-case scenario - assuming the Singapore economy contracts in the coming months - URA's overall price index for private homes could post a full-year increase of zero to 5 per cent.

This factors in one quarter of decline, to the tune of 0.5 to 2.5 per cent, possibly towards the end of the year. Any decline in the index would be the first since Q1 2004, Mr Mak added.

Mr Mak's best-case scenario is for a 10-15 per cent full-year gain in the index, with increases in all four quarters.

URA's private home price index rose 31.2 per cent in 2007.

Colliers International's director for research and consultancy Tay Huey Ying too said that the Singapore property market is likely to experience the full impact of the US economic slowdown by Q3 or Q4 this year.

In a worst-case scenario, URA's private home price index may rise 8 to 10 per cent for the whole of this year, with possibly a decline in the fourth quarter of not more than 4 per cent, Ms Tay said.

In a best-case scenario - if the US enters a mild recession and recovers by the year-end and Singapore's GDP growth rate is at the higher end of the MTI's forecast of 4 to 6 per cent - the full-year increase in URA's index could be 12-15 per cent.

For the next quarter, CB Richard Ellis is predicting a marginal rise in the index, of about one to 2 per cent from the Q1 level. It estimates that developers sold about 700-1,000 private homes in Q1, less than the 1,449 units they sold in Q4 last year.

Observers said that price gains in the OCR may have come from the secondary market, from completed developments like The Clearwater and Aquarius by the Park in the Bedok Reservoir area. The fact that a new launch in the area, Waterfront Waves, sold for an average price of about $800 psf could have encouraged the trend.

In the western part of Singapore, units sold at The Lakeshore and LakeHolmz in the Boon Lay vicinity may also have helped boost the sub-index for non-landed homes in the OCR, analysts suggest.

Knight Frank's Mr Mak said that the 4.4 per cent gain in the CCR during Q1 was the lowest rate of increase in the past seven quarters.

As for the HDB resale price index, ERA Singapore assistant vice-president Eugene Lim predicts a full-year increase of not more than 10 per cent, compared with a 17.5 per cent jump in 2007.

Some demand may be taken away from the resale market because of a higher supply of new flats coming onstream, so resale prices may increase at a more measured pace in the coming months.

The HDB said in its release yesterday that the total planned Build-To-Order (BTO) supply of 6,100 new flats for Jan-Sept 2008 will surpass the annual BTO flat supply in 2007 (6,000 units) and 2006 (2,400 units).

HDB's records show that in February 2008, about a quarter of resale flats were transacted at prices not exceeding $10,000 above market valuation.


http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/mnt/media/image/launched/2008-04-02/BT_IMAGES_HOMEPRICES2.jpg

[puppets?]

y do humans need to be puppets? because most have weak spines. or the puppeteer is a control freak who just insist in having her way at all times.

[Reuters]

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Manhattan Apartment Prices Rise
Ilaina Jonas
Reuters
New York, New York, U.S.
Wednesday, 2 April 2008, 12:41am U.S. EDT

Manhattan apartment prices soared in the first quarter, but sales fell and inventory rose under the weight of tighter mortgage terms and Wall Street job fears, according to several reports.

The median sales price rose 13.2% to a record $945,276 over the prior-year quarter, while the average sales price increased 33.5% to a record $1,722,991, according to the Prudential Douglas Elliman Manhattan Market Overview quarterly report released on Wednesday.

"The market is leaning much more to the higher end and part of that comes from what's gone on in the mortgage markets," said Greg Heym, senior vice president of research for Terra Holdings, parent company of real estate firms Brown Harris Stevens and Halstead Property.

"In the mid- to lower-price stuff you see fewer sales in these categories because those are the people affected by tighter standards," Heym said.

The Manhattan housing market has been insulated from the U.S. housing crisis that has sent the national median sales price of an existing home down 8.2% to $195,900. New home prices have fallen even further.

However, soaring mortgage defaults nationwide set off a broader credit crisis that could put more than 25,000 New York jobs in the financial sector - which drives the local real estate market -- at risk.

"When a market is on such solid footing as ours was, it cannot fall apart in a span of a couple of months. It's going to take longer than that. You're going to have to see more layoffs actually happening," Heym said. "Until people are forced to sell their apartment for whatever they can get for them, that's the missing ingredient in a downturn."

So far it hasn't.

The average price per square foot leaped 20.5% to a record US$1,289 psf, according to the Prudential report.

Halstead Property said the average price rose 47% over the first quarter 2007 to $1,690,995, driven by sales of apartment priced over $10 million.

"There were 84 sales in between 15 Central Park West and The Plaza and the effect that that has on all these number is tremendous," Heym said.

Some of the apartment sold during the quarter -- including those at 15 Central Park West and The Plaza -- reflect deals that had been agreed to in previous years.

The median sales price rose 13%, Halstead said. Although sales at ultra luxury projects 15 Central Park West and The Plaza skewed the results, prices still set records or near records even after removing those deals. Without the two projects the average price would have been $1,417,496, Halstead said.

Yet the pace of sales slowed and the number of homes on the market rose for the first time since the housing boom started about four years ago, Herman said.

"That's the story -- sales and inventory this quarter," said Jonathan Miller, author of the Prudential report.

The number of sales fell 1%, according to Halstead. It had about 600 more sales in its statistical pool than Prudential, which said the number fell 34.3% this quarter to 2,282 units. It was the largest drop since Miller began compiling the report in 1989.

"These numbers reflect what happen with the mortgage fiasco," and do not reflect the layoffs that have yet to happen, said Dottie Herman, Prudential CEO.

"People have no sense of urgency, and you're in a much more price sensitive time now," she said. "There's a lot of uncertainty."

The number of homes on the market rose 4.6% to 6,194 from last year, Prudential said. Homes for sale remained on the market for 146 days, two weeks longer than a year earlier, according to the Prudential report.

Wiggle room on prices remained about the same as last year, about a 3.2% discount from the asking price, according to the Prudential report.

"It's not a buyers' market yet, but the pendulum has switched to the buyers now," Corcoran Group Chief Executive Officer Pam Liebman said.

The Corcoran Group said the average price jumped 19% to $1.626 million, while the median rose 9% to $917,000. The price per square foot was up 16% to $1,224. Inventory of homes for sale was up 15% at the end of March.

[Unregistered]

Why must Manhatten apartment prices go up?

[Unregistered]

Why must Manhatten apartment prices go up?
What kind of question is this?

[mr funny]

April 2, 2008

Home prices growing, but less sharply

By Fiona Chan, Property Reporter


HOME seekers waiting for property prices to fall in a sluggish market were disappointed by numbers released yesterday.

Government estimates showed that the prices of private and Housing Board homes continued to rise in the first three months of the year to near their 1996 peaks.

But growth was markedly lower than before and is likely to slow further in coming months, experts said.

Some even suggested that home prices may start to ease later this year - for the first time in four years - if the Singapore economy brakes more sharply than expected.

Mr Nicholas Mak, director of research and consultancy at Knight Frank, was among industry watchers who had expected prices to plateau or even dip in the first quarter, after developers reported dismal sales of new homes in January and February.

But prices held stubbornly, backed by a still healthy economy, some new launches at benchmark prices and the reluctance of sellers to lower asking prices.

However, the number of home sales plunged from last year, leading consultants to warn that yesterday's price figures are based on fewer deals and may not be representative of the whole market.

They added that buyers willing to take the plunge now are mostly genuine occupiers, with speculators having almost completely exited.

Private home prices climbed 4.2 per cent in the first 10 weeks of the year, down from 6.8 per cent in the previous quarter and the smallest rise since 2006. Suburban home prices gained the most, rising 4.8 per cent.

HDB resale flats also saw a smaller increase in prices: 3.4 per cent, compared with 5.7 per cent previously.

The 'weaker than expected' growth comes amid continued volatility in global stock markets and a weaker Singapore market outlook, said Mr Chua Yang Liang, Jones Lang LaSalle's head of research for South-east Asia.

But Ms Tay Huey Ying, director of research and consultancy at Colliers International, called the price growth 'very encouraging', given the few transactions.

Property consultants took the chance yesterday to cut their forecasts for price growth for the whole year.

Most now predict single-digit rises compared with their earlier estimates of growth between 10 and 20 per cent. Last year, private home prices soared 31 per cent while HDB resale prices jumped 17.5 per cent.

[email protected]

[Unregistered]

foreighn talen @SS

[Unregistered]

foreighn talen @SS
Yes, scary right? Indeed, indeed.
So many of them coming here.
Where to find so many condo to house them?

[Unregistered]

Yes, scary right? Indeed, indeed.
So many of them coming here.
Where to find so many condo to house them?
No choice lah! We need them.

[mr funny]

First signs of housing market slowdown

By Tan Hui Leng, TODAY | Posted: 02 April 2008 0828 hrs


Singapore - AFTER property fever hit euphoric levels last year, flash estimates from the Housing and Development Board and the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) show the growth in real estate is slowing down significantly.

The index for the private home market showed prices rose 4.2 per cent in the first three month, down from the last quarter’s 6.8 per cent growth.

And looking ahead, some property watchers are taking a more subdued stand — expecting private property prices to inch forward a modest 1 to 2 per cent in the second quarter, and 5 to 10 per cent for the whole of this year. Should the economy contract on the back of a United States recession, home prices could fall for the first time since 2004, said an analyst.

But, PropNex chief executive officer Mohd Ismail, for one, is optimistic. While foreign interest last year buoyed the property market in the downtown and core central region, he said, strong domestic demand is expected to drive growth in the mass market.

He noted how condominiums in outlying estates such as Woodlands and
Jurong East are averaging $550 to $600 per square foot (psf), which is “still very affordable pricing that has moved up marginally from before the boom last year”. He predicted: “The mass market will continue to perform with prices expected to well exceed 10 per cent for 2008.”

He attributed the first quarter’s results to a low volume of transactions, due to many developers holding back property launches and sellers holding on to their properties.

ERA noted that after a fast-paced 2007, the private housing market seems to have come to “some form of standstill”.

“The lower overall price increase indicates that buyers have turned cautious in view of continued concerns about the US economy, sub-prime crisis and the
erratic stock market,” said ERA’s assistant vice-president Eugene Lim.

Knight Frank, which expects the rate of increase of private home prices to remain below 5 per cent in the first three quarters, outlined the most sobering scenario.

“If the economy were to contract in the coming months, home prices would face strong downward pressure and could experience their first decline since first quarter 2004,” said its director of consultancy and research Nicholas Mak.

Flash estimates are compiled based on transaction prices given in caveats lodged in the first ten weeks of the quarter, supplemented by information on the number of new units sold.

More complete statistics will be updated four weeks later and the URA notes, the difference between the flash estimate and actual price changes could be significant when the change is small. TODAY

[Unregistered]

Hurray!
Prices for the first 10 weeks of this year went up by 4.2%.
Yes!

[Unregistered]

Hurray!
Prices for the first 10 weeks of this year went up by 4.2%.
Yes!
What about adding the last 2 weeks to it?

[Unregistered]

Hurray!
Prices for the first 10 weeks of this year went up by 4.2%.
Yes!
The next 10 weeks go down by 42%, so dun be happy.

[Unregistered]

The next 10 weeks go down by 42%, so dun be happy.
You say the next 10 weeks go down by 42%.
He say the next 10 weeks go up by 42%.

So both are you are bullshitting!

[Unregistered]

You say the next 10 weeks go down by 42%.
He say the next 10 weeks go up by 42%.

So both are you are bullshitting!

Bro, read properly. one says go up by only 4.2%. The other one who says go down by 42% is a moron and an idiot.

[Unregistered]

Hurray!
Prices for the first 10 weeks of this year went up by 4.2%.
Yes!

What about adding the last 2 weeks to it?
If the last 2 weeks go up another 0.5% (just for an example), then add 0.5% to 4.2%. So, you get 4.7%.

[Unregistered]

Bro, read properly. one says go up by only 4.2%. The other one who says go down by 42% is a moron and an idiot.
Moron jumping with joy. saw went up 4.2 % LAST 10 wks (past). idiot say go down 42% (future) next 10 wks, which 1 u prefer????

[Unregistered]

Moron jumping with joy. saw went up 4.2 % LAST 10 wks (past). idiot say go down 42% (future) next 10 wks, which 1 u prefer????
I preferred the 4.2% cos' it is realistic. The other one is totally unrealistic and based purely on imagination.

[Unregistered]

I preferred the 4.2% cos' it is realistic. The other one is totally unrealistic and based purely on imagination.
Another Moron living in the past.

[Unregistered]

Another Moron living in the past.
A Moron uttering rubbish here.

[Unregistered]

speculators are completely absent in the mkt for the last two months.

if the STI rebound continues you will see the ppty price index shoot up. just wait. ppty sentiment lags stock sentiments. if STI hits 3500+ the ppty prices will shoot up v sharply.

With the recent crash in STI to 2500+ the ppty prices are still rising. absolutely shocking to me.

[Unregistered]

speculators are completely absent in the mkt for the last two months.

if the STI rebound continues you will see the ppty price index shoot up. just wait. ppty sentiment lags stock sentiments. if STI hits 3500+ the ppty prices will shoot up v sharply.

With the recent crash in STI to 2500+ the ppty prices are still rising. absolutely shocking to me.

Many people are burnt in shares, some are force to sell property to pay for losses in shares, unless shares market recovers, there is no way property sector can be good. u wait n see

[Unregistered]

Why so bor song? Disenchanted also no use. Even top analysts hardly get it right, if not they would be busy managing their billions instead of analysing for you. Property not for the faint hearted and worriers. Be a little enterprising and get your own feel. Comfortable buy if not stay off. Enterprise and some guts is more rewarding than relying on risk controlled ideas of MBAs.

[Unregistered]

Many people are burnt in shares, some are force to sell property to pay for losses in shares, unless shares market recovers, there is no way property sector can be good. u wait n see
Don't anyhow make sweeping statement such as "many people are burnt in shares", "some are forced to sell property", ....

Anybody can make baseless sweeping statements. What we need is facts.

[Unregistered]

Why so bor song? Disenchanted also no use. Even top analysts hardly get it right, if not they would be busy managing their billions instead of analysing for you. Property not for the faint hearted and worriers. Be a little enterprising and get your own feel. Comfortable buy if not stay off. Enterprise and some guts is more rewarding than relying on risk controlled ideas of MBAs.

Tis is call enterprising and person with brave heart. pls read
A SMALL property firm that snapped up enough sites to place it among the top en bloc players last year has put off completing two deals while it ties up funding.
Because of the delays, owners at one condo are still waiting to pick up cheques for well over $1 million each. They expected payment in late February but an extension put this back to March and now the due date is late this month.

The payments are pending from Bravo Building Construction, a relatively new firm on the property scene. It bought freehold Pender Court condominium in the Telok Blangah area for $80 million last July and soon after purchased Tulip Garden near Holland Road - also freehold - for $516 million.

But completion of both deals seems to have stalled.

Completion is at the final stage of the sale process and triggers the final payment - usually around 95 per cent of the purchase price - to owners. The remaining 5 per cent is paid when the owner vacates.

These headaches for the owners come amid a slowing market for collective sales. The first quarter this year saw just one relatively small deal, compared with some 25 notched up in the same period last year.

The Tulip Garden transaction is expected to be completed late next month but Bravo has already asked for two postponements - first to July 23 and then Aug 7.

It has also asked for extensions to pay an additional 5 per cent of the purchase price - $25.8 million.

This is a routine payment required once the Strata Titles Board approves a sale. An initial 5 per cent deposit was paid when the sale was done.

The deadline for the second 5 per cent payment was March 13 but Bravo won approval to move it to April 7. Then in mid-March, it again asked to move the date, this time to May 5.

However, before the sale committee could respond to the request, it is understood that Bravo asked again to have the date moved even further back, to June 7.

Tulip Garden sold for about $1,018 per sq ft. It has 164 units comprising 96 flats, 66 maisonettes and two shophouses. Flat owners stand to reap $2.5 million to $4.2 million while maisonette owners will receive about $3.4 million each. The shop units will get about $1.1 million each.

The owners are meeting this weekend to consider Bravo's requests that the completion date be pushed back to Aug 7 and the deadline for the $25.8 million payment be extended to June 7.

The Pender Court deal is even further behind schedule.

Bravo was supposed to have completed the sale on Feb 25 but had it postponed, initially to around mid-March. It then asked for a further extension to April 24, which has apparently been granted.

Pender Court's 48 owners should each get $1.6 million or so for their flats, which sold for about $872 psf.

Sources have told The Straits Times that they understand Bravo is committed to completing the two purchases and just needs more time to arrange funding.

Bravo, which was registered in 2002, reportedly picked up $824.5 million worth of en bloc sale deals last year, making it the fourth-largest buyer of en bloc sites.

Bravo's directors could not be reached for comment, despite numerous telephone calls and a visit to its office in an industrial building in Geylang Road last Friday. A Bravo staff member said that the company directors were away on business.

ANOTHER END-BLOCK.s enterprising.

[Unregistered]

Wah lau!
Not only Asia stocks are surging, but also Europe stocks.
Charge!

[Unregistered]

Wah lau!
Not only Asia stocks are surging, but also Europe stocks.
Charge!
And then it will be US turn to surge tonight.

We are still waiting for the big surge.

http://www.dowjones.com/DJCom/Images/LogoHome.gif
Dow Heading For 16,000, Richard Band Says Rolling Eyes
Mark Hulbert
Dow Jones
Anandale, Virginia, U.S.
Friday, 28 March 2008, 12:58 AM U.S. EST

Richard Band is not someone who makes outlandish predictions just to get headlines.

So I sat up and took notice earlier this week when he wrote to subscribers of his Profitable Investing newsletter that the stock market was ready to "rocket higher" in an "uptrend that could carry the blue chip indexes to all-time highs by late 2008 or early 2009. Dow 16,000 here we come!"

The Hulbert Financial Digest (HFD) has been tracking Band's newsletter since the beginning of 1991. Over the subsequent 17 years, his recommended portfolio has been 35% less volatile than the overall stock market, as measured by relative volatilities. To use a baseball analogy, this shows that Band is more inclined to try to get a base hit than he is to attempt to belt a home run.

Band's conservative approach is crucial to properly interpreting his newsletter's performance. According to the HFD, the newsletter's model portfolios on average have produced an 8.6% annualized return since the beginning of 1991, in contrast to 10.9% annualized for the Dow Jones Wilshire 5000 index (DWC). But with only two thirds as much risk, we should expect some below-market return.

It turns out that, upon risk-adjusting his newsletter's performance, it equals that of the market itself. That's good enough to place it in the upper echelon of newsletters over this period, and another reason to give weight to his forecast.

Technical factors appear to have led Band to make such a bold prediction, which amounts to a 33% return for the overall market over the next 12 months.

The first has to do with the stock market's internal characteristics when it hit a low earlier this month. Band argues that that low possessed "many striking technical resemblances to the great bear market bottoms of the past."

To be sure, Band wrote that on Tuesday night, and since then the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) has dropped 230 points.

But Band says he is not particularly worried. On Thursday night, he told subscribers not to let "Mr. Market wear you out!"

Band continued: "We're in a critical stage for stocks right now, what technical analysts call the 'right shoulder' of a head-and-shoulders bottom. The left shoulder formed on March 10, when the Standard & Poor's 500 index (SPX) touched its closing low for the year (so far) at 1273.37. The upside-down head came on March 17, when the index broke to a new low intraday but finished at 1276.60, slightly above the March 10 close. Now we're sliding down again to complete the right shoulder of the pattern. If all goes well, the S&P should remain comfortably above the two previous closing lows. Then we can rocket higher in April."

Band adds that when the right shoulder of a head-and-shoulders bottom is forming, "the biggest temptation for investors is to throw up their hands and say, 'This market will never go up. It's doomed.' Don't make that mistake. A very powerful and durable rally is in the works. But it may need another couple of days to lift off. Hold the fort and keep the faith!"

Band is recommending several exchange-traded funds and one open-end mutual fund for subscribers who want to increase their equity exposure: The iShares Russell 1000 Growth Fund (IWF), the iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Index Fund (EEM), and Selected American Shares (SLASX).

[Unregistered]

Wah lau!
Not only Asia stocks are surging, but also Europe stocks.
Charge!
China the biggest of them all DROPPING!!!!!

[Unregistered]

China the biggest of them all DROPPING!!!!!
Drop you head!

Shanghai is still up!

Anyway, the rest of Asia, the whole of Europe, the whole of Americas, the US, are all surging.

[Unregistered]

More bad news.I cant wait for more.

[Unregistered]

More bad news.I cant wait for more.
Bad news fpr property keeps coming. Speculators dead.

[Unregistered]

More bad news.I cant wait for more.
No need to wait for bad news.
A few have already come out last night. You never read the UBS, DB, etc. news meh?
Maybe 1 or 2 more coming out tonight or tomorrow night.

[Unregistered]

More.Please post more bad news.Hoping for a crash so I can buy one cheap.

[Unregistered]

Bad news fpr property keeps coming. Speculators dead.
Yes, you are very right. You are exactly spot on.

We have already told those speculators not to short Dow Jones. They don't listen. They think when there are bad news in the market mean can short Dow Jones. See what happen now? All these speculators were burnt badly. Every stocks markets are surging.

All these bad news have been factored in. They are useless.

[Unregistered]

More.Please post more bad news.Hoping for a crash so I can buy one cheap.
Don't be so greedy. You have already gotten what you asked for.

You want bad news. You have them.

You want crash. SIBOR has crashed to the lowest level and is continuing its crash. So you have a crash too.

What else do you want?

[Unregistered]

Drop you head!

Shanghai is still up!

Anyway, the rest of Asia, the whole of Europe, the whole of Americas, the US, are all surging.

Shut up you moron. Europe is flat and dropping even with the big jump in Dow. Dont mislead people.
ATX Austria 3,896.92 .....3:45PM SGT..... 18.13 (0.47%)
BEL-20 Belgium 3,827.93 ......4:00PM SGT..... 11.20 (0.29%)
OMXC20.CODenmark434.95 ........3:59PM SGT.... 0.06 (0.01%)
CAC 40 France 4,875.56 ........4:00PM SGT... 9.56 (0.20%)
DAX Germany 6,738.34.......... 3:45PM SGT..... 18.01 (0.27%)
AEX General...Netherlands....452.33 ..... 4:00PM SGT 1.29 (0.28%)
OSE All Share Norway 488.39 3:45PM SGT 3.50 (0.72%)
MIBTel Italy 24,883.0000 4:00PM SGT 5.0000 (0.02%)
ISE National-100 Turkey 91.91 5:00AM SGT 0.00 (0.00%)
Madrid General Spain 1,482.73 3:55PM SGT 0.00 (0.00%)
Stockholm General Sweden 321.90 3:59PM SGT 0.88 (0.27%)
Swiss Market Switzerland 7,541.59 4:00PM SGT 47.29 (0.63%)
FTSE 100 United Kingdom 5,857.00 3:45PM SGT 4.40 (0.08%)
)

[Unregistered]

Yes, you are very right. You are exactly spot on.

We have already told those speculators not to short Dow Jones. They don't listen. They think when there are bad news in the market mean can short Dow Jones. See what happen now? All these speculators were burnt badly. Every stocks markets are surging.

All these bad news have been factored in. They are useless.

Those speculators going to win big time tomorrow.

[Unregistered]

Don't be so greedy. You have already gotten what you asked for.

You want bad news. You have them.

You want crash. SIBOR has crashed to the lowest level and is continuing its crash. So you have a crash too.

What else do you want?


Still not that bad.I want badder news.

[Unregistered]

Still not that bad.I want badder news.
So greedy!

There is an asteroid coming our way that may hit our earth. If it do, we will be dead.

[Unregistered]

I want bad news now!

[Unregistered]

Shut up you moron. Europe is flat and dropping even with the big jump in Dow. Dont mislead people.
ATX Austria 3,896.92 .....3:45PM SGT..... 18.13 (0.47%)
BEL-20 Belgium 3,827.93 ......4:00PM SGT..... 11.20 (0.29%)
OMXC20.CODenmark434.95 ........3:59PM SGT.... 0.06 (0.01%)
CAC 40 France 4,875.56 ........4:00PM SGT... 9.56 (0.20%)
DAX Germany 6,738.34.......... 3:45PM SGT..... 18.01 (0.27%)
AEX General...Netherlands....452.33 ..... 4:00PM SGT 1.29 (0.28%)
OSE All Share Norway 488.39 3:45PM SGT 3.50 (0.72%)
MIBTel Italy 24,883.0000 4:00PM SGT 5.0000 (0.02%)
ISE National-100 Turkey 91.91 5:00AM SGT 0.00 (0.00%)
Madrid General Spain 1,482.73 3:55PM SGT 0.00 (0.00%)
Stockholm General Sweden 321.90 3:59PM SGT 0.88 (0.27%)
Swiss Market Switzerland 7,541.59 4:00PM SGT 47.29 (0.63%)
FTSE 100 United Kingdom 5,857.00 3:45PM SGT 4.40 (0.08%)
)
Moron agh, dropping meh?
Which one ah?

Name ......... Last Trade ............. Change
ATX .......... 3,891.14 4:12AM ET ..... 12.35 (0.32%)
BEL-20 ....... 3,825.48 4:26AM ET ..... 8.75 (0.23%)
CAC 40 ....... 4,873.22 4:26AM ET ..... 7.22 (0.15%)
DAX .......... 6,745.68 4:12AM ET ..... 25.35 (0.38%)
AEX General .. 452.06 4:26AM ET ....... 1.56 (0.34%)
OSE AllShare . 488.34 4:12AM ET ....... 3.46 (0.71%)
MIBTel ....... 24,960.00 4:26AM ET .... 72.00 (0.29%)
Madrid General 1,487.01 4:25AM ET ..... 4.28 (0.29%)
Stockholm G .. 322.38 4:26AM ET ...... 1.36 (0.42%)
Swiss Market . 7,589.24 4:26AM ET ..... 94.94 (1.27%)
FTSE ......... 100 5,857.10 4:11AM ET . 4.50 (0.08%)

[Unregistered]

Moron agh, dropping meh?
Which one ah?

Name ......... Last Trade ............. Change
ATX .......... 3,891.14 4:12AM ET ..... 12.35 (0.32%)
BEL-20 ....... 3,825.48 4:26AM ET ..... 8.75 (0.23%)
CAC 40 ....... 4,873.22 4:26AM ET ..... 7.22 (0.15%)
DAX .......... 6,745.68 4:12AM ET ..... 25.35 (0.38%)
AEX General .. 452.06 4:26AM ET ....... 1.56 (0.34%)
OSE AllShare . 488.34 4:12AM ET ....... 3.46 (0.71%)
MIBTel ....... 24,960.00 4:26AM ET .... 72.00 (0.29%)
Madrid General 1,487.01 4:25AM ET ..... 4.28 (0.29%)
Stockholm G .. 322.38 4:26AM ET ...... 1.36 (0.42%)
Swiss Market . 7,589.24 4:26AM ET ..... 94.94 (1.27%)
FTSE ......... 100 5,857.10 4:11AM ET . 4.50 (0.08%)
Wah lau! You believe him when he say it is dropping? Please!
All stocks are moving up.

[blackjack21trader]

Wah lau! You believe him when he say it is dropping? Please!
All stocks are moving up.

Ahahahaha. Yes, all are surging now- I thank God for bringing my portfolio back to the black.

[Unregistered]

Wah lau! You believe him when he say it is dropping? Please!
All stocks are moving up.

Ahahahaha. Yes, all are surging now- I thank God for bringing my portfolio back to the black.
OMG! The world is surging right now.

[Unregistered]

OMG! The world is surging right now.
Most of Asia markets are closed for the day. All surged man!

[toaler]

speculators are completely absent in the mkt for the last two months.

if the STI rebound continues you will see the ppty price index shoot up. just wait. ppty sentiment lags stock sentiments. if STI hits 3500+ the ppty prices will shoot up v sharply.

With the recent crash in STI to 2500+ the ppty prices are still rising. absolutely shocking to me.

You obviously do not know what you are talking. STI at 2500+ ?

[Unregistered]

Most of Asia markets are closed for the day. All surged man!
Europe is surging. Next one is the US.

[Unregistered]

You obviously do not know what you are talking. STI at 2500+ ?
He meant 3500+.

[Unregistered]

Wah can buy so cheap condo 500K one. Afterall hawker what. Cannot dream of dist.10.

Bought at 2004 only $478,200. 1238psf 99LH.
not D9 lah.

[Unregistered]

When buying opportunities come, G.C. is too timid to buy, staying on the sideline praying for prices to drop more. When prices start going up again and the buying opportunities pass by, G.C. start swearing at the government for not making the prices affordable for them to buy. Very difficult to please G.C.s

By the way, G.C. stands for GUTLESS CHICKEN.

[Unregistered]

When buying opportunities come, G.C. is too timid to buy, staying on the sideline praying for prices to drop more. When prices start going up again and the buying opportunities pass by, G.C. start swearing at the government for not making the prices affordable for them to buy. Very difficult to please G.C.s

By the way, G.C. stands for GUTLESS CHICKEN.

Think gutless chicken is better than dead chicken or fried chicken.

[Unregistered]

Think gutless chicken is better than dead chicken or fried chicken.
Chicken Run time. Charge!

[Unregistered]

Think gutless chicken is better than dead chicken or fried chicken.

Dead or fried chicken won't complain to MP but a gutless chicken will....

[Unregistered]

Most of Asia markets are closed for the day. All surged man!

I saw many buyers getting really really nervous right now after witnessing the strong rally in the stock market for the last few days . Some smart ones hv acted wisely to negotiate and buy. Some are still confused as influenced by the sour grapes. Pity!

[Unregistered]

The foreign talents are the ones quietly buying. Locals who have not committed to private property tend to complain all the time when they should either act to acquire one or just be contended with their heavily subsidised public flats.

[Unregistered]

The foreign talents are the ones quietly buying. Locals who have not committed to private property tend to complain all the time when they should either act to acquire one or just be contended with their heavily subsidised public flats.
Nobody asked you to comment. Shut up!

[Unregistered]

The foreign talents are the ones quietly buying. Locals who have not committed to private property tend to complain all the time when they should either act to acquire one or just be contended with their heavily subsidised public flats.

Thank you forregin talent for buying otherwise property market will be dead meat.keep up the good work !

[Unregistered]

Thank you forregin talent for buying otherwise property market will be dead meat.keep up the good work !
Nobody asked you to comment. Shut up!

[Unregistered]

Thank you forregin talent for buying otherwise property market will be dead meat.keep up the good work !
My pleasure. Need a roof anyway and make economic sense over renting.

[Unregistered]

My pleasure. Need a roof anyway and make economic sense over renting.
You, get lost!

[AP]

http://www.ap.org/media/images/logo.gif
World Stock Markets Rally
European And Asian Markets Up, Wall Street Points Higher on Optimism About an End to Turmoil
Louise Watt
Writer
Associated Press
London, U.K.
Wednesday April 2, 2:17 pm EET

http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/fi/15/81/92.jpg
An investor reacts as he looks at the stock price monitor at a private security company Wednesday April 2, 2008, in Shanghai, China. - Photo: AP

Asian stocks surged, Europe extended its gains and Wall Street was poised to rally once more Wednesday amid a growing belief that the worst of the credit crisis is over.

In Europe, share prices rose for banks such as UBS, which announced it was issuing new shares to help bolster its balance sheet after another massive write-down linked to bad U.S. mortgages. But automakers lagged on weak U.S. sales data for March, as well as a broker downgrade for Daimler.

In the U.K., the FTSE 100 rose 0.22% at 5,865.30, while Germany's DAX gained 0.65% at 6,763.77. France's CAC 40 climbed 0.68% to 4899.16.

Shares of UBS rose 3.27%, while Barclays PLC jumped 3.39% and Royal Bank of Scotland added 2.84%.

In Tokyo the Nikkei 225 index rose 4.2% to 13,189.4. Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index climbed 3.2% to 23,872.4.

Benchmark indices in Australia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and the Philippines all gained more than 2%. And in mainland China, the Shanghai Composite Index finished 0.6% higher after having gained as much as 4.1%.

"Investors believe the credit crisis in the U.S. is over," said Francis Lun, a general manager at Fulbright Securities in Hong Kong. "They think the worst has gone."

The futures contract for the Dow Jones industrial average rose 50 points Wednesday, or 0.4%, to 12,677. Futures contracts for the Standard & Poor's 500 gained 5.20 points, or 0.5%, to 1,375.80 and Nasdaq 100 futures rose 9.8 points, or 0.6% to 1,867.5.

Financial stocks were among the big winners in U.S. and Asian trading after Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. and Switzerland's UBS AG issued new shares. The news was viewed as upbeat and offset even an announcement that UBS will write down $19 billion (12 billion euros) due to additional declines in the value of its mortgage assets and other credit instruments.

In Tokyo trading, megabank Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group soared 9.8%, Mizuho Financial Group gained 10% and Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group jumped 9%.

Property company Mitsui Fudosan climbed 12% and Sumitomo Realty & Development gained 12%.

In New York Tuesday, the Dow Jones industrials climbed nearly 400 points, around 3.2%, to 12,654.4, and all the major U.S. stock indexes were up more than 3%.

Chinese financial firms led the blue chip gains in Hong Kong. Industrial & Commercial Bank of China, the nation's biggest lender by assets, soared 4.9%, China Construction Bank added 4.8% and Bank of Communications increased 6.5%.

Oil companies also climbed higher, with Sinopec rising 6.3% and CNOOC adding 3.5%.

Some analysts warned, though, that the rebound could be precarious.

Asian markets are still "hinged to the credit crunch problem in the U.S. and Europe," said Castor Pang, a strategist at Sun Hung Kai Financial in Hong Kong. "If the problem turns worse again, the money will leave Asia."

In currency trading, the dollar rose to 102.28 yen at midafternoon, up from 102.04 yen late Tuesday in New York. The euro dipped to $1.5597 from $1.5601.

[Unregistered]

The foreign talents are the ones quietly buying. Locals who have not committed to private property tend to complain all the time when they should either act to acquire one or just be contended with their heavily subsidised public flats.

U must be a agent who also quietly sold properties to these quiet foreign talents. so please also quietly quit this forum quietly for all readers sake cos we are here to complain n not contended with.

[Unregistered]

The foreign talents are the ones quietly buying. Locals who have not committed to private property tend to complain all the time when they should either act to acquire one or just be contended with their heavily subsidised public flats.


U must be a agent who also quietly sold properties to these quiet foreign talents. so please also quietly quit this forum quietly for all readers sake cos we are here to complain n not contended with.

Wey! Wey! Wey!

This forum is for condo owners or buyers' discussion, not for sour grapes to come here and complain.

Sour grapes got complaints please approach your MPs.

Even agents are more welcome here than sour grapes.

At least agents got some useful knowledge to contribute.

Sour grapes just come here to talk rubbish.

[Unregistered]

When buying opportunities come, G.C. is too timid to buy, staying on the sideline praying for prices to drop more. When prices start going up again and the buying opportunities pass by, G.C. start swearing at the government for not making the prices affordable for them to buy. Very difficult to please G.C.s

By the way, G.C. stands for GUTLESS CHICKEN.

They are not G.C. but N.M.C.

N.M.C. stands for No Money Chicken.

Even if condos drop by 50% they will still have no money to buy.

Even the monthly installment for a 3-Room HDB Flat in Seng Kang will cause them asphyxiation.

So they can only look at the property market go up, go down, go up, go down, go up ...

When it goes up, they sigh ... when it goes down, they cheer.

Their lives are quite meaningless and they have nothing much to look forward to anyway.

Hence they constantly hope that the economy will collapse so that everyone falls to the ground, to be at the same level as them.

[Unregistered]

Wah! The Europe and the US markets still up leh.

[Unregistered]

Wah! The Europe and the US markets still up leh.
The whole world is up.

[Unregistered]

The whole world is up.
Tomorrow is Asia's turn.

[Unregistered]

Tomorrow is Asia's turn.
Like that the surge will never end man!

[Unregistered]

Like that the surge will never end man!


Still April Fool Day there.

[Unregistered]

Still April Fool Day there.
They are surging on 2 April. You are the only fool dreaming of 1 April.

[Unregistered]

They are surging on 2 April. You are the only fool dreaming of 1 April.
Ha ha! That guy is a Sour April Grape (ARG).

[Unregistered]

Ha ha! That guy is a Sour April Grape (ARG).
Arg! Arg! Arg! ARG is coming!

[Unregistered]

http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii268/kcc0002/CIMB.jpg
...................

Thanks for the report.

All sour grapes are hoping to see the arrow going down down down but they are all disappointed as the chart all showing arrows up up up. Huat Ah!!!!!


haha....the report is saying mass market condo have at least 30-40% upside to go.
Luckily this report came from an independent research company. If it have come from a property-agent research arm, the .........

[Unregistered]

I strongly believe that there are at least two more sharp increases in our ppty prices as we had seen in 2007 before it eventually stabilizes.

One will definitely happen in this year. And another one should take place in between 2010 and 2011.

[Unregistered]

http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii268/kcc0002/CIMB.jpg
... but the latest index is based on 10 weeks only leh ... we still need to add 2 more weeks of prices to it to complete the picture ...

[Unregistered]

The whole world is up.

MY LITTLE BROTHER ALSO EVERYDAY UP......LOL

[Unregistered]

MY LITTLE BROTHER ALSO EVERYDAY UP......LOL

You must be in your twenties.

[Unregistered]

U must be a agent who also quietly sold properties to these quiet foreign talents. so please also quietly quit this forum quietly for all readers sake cos we are here to complain n not contended with.
I would not waste a second with people like you if I am an agent. Time for the spoilt breed to get real and not behave like little toddlers whlist your new emigrant friends outsmart and buy up your mass market.

[Unregistered]

I would not waste a second with people like you if I am an agent. Time for the spoilt breed to get real and not behave like little toddlers whlist your new emigrant friends outsmart and buy up your mass market.

AND ASLO BUY UP UR ASS......LOL

[Unregistered]

The whole world is up.

MY LITTLE BROTHER ALSO EVERYDAY UP......LOL

You must be in your twenties.
... and the Asia part of the World is up again ...

[Unregistered]

... and the Asia part of the World is up again ...
You mean surged up?

[Unregistered]

You mean surged up?
But wasted! STI just needs another 30 points can hit 3,200.

[Unregistered]

But wasted! STI just needs another 30 points can hit 3,200.
Never mind! Dow is up now.

[Unregistered]

Never mind! Dow is up now.
It's Singapore's turn now.

[Unregistered]

I want bad news now!
Wah lau! So many bad news out there. Just grab one and hug it lah.

[Unregistered]

Wah lau! So many bad news out there. Just grab one and hug it lah.

Tis wan Good news, Read

Futura minority owners withdraw appeal against en bloc sale

By Woon Siew Leng, 938LIVE | Posted: 03 April 2008 1747 hrs


SINGAPORE: Minority owners of the Futura condominium on Leonie Hill Road have withdrawn their appeal against the en bloc sale of the property.

The reasons for the decision have not been disclosed.

Futura was sold to City Developments' subsidiary City Sunshine in October 2006 for S$287 million. This means each unit owner will get between S$3.7 million and S$9.4 million.

However, some minority owners complained that the deal was not done in good faith, with no land survey done.

They also contended that a meeting of owners was not called before the price was accepted.

Now that the appeal has been withdrawn, the sale must be completed within a month. - 938LIVE/ac

[Unregistered]

Tis wan Good news, Read

Futura minority owners withdraw appeal against en bloc sale

By Woon Siew Leng, 938LIVE | Posted: 03 April 2008 1747 hrs


SINGAPORE: Minority owners of the Futura condominium on Leonie Hill Road have withdrawn their appeal against the en bloc sale of the property.

The reasons for the decision have not been disclosed.

Futura was sold to City Developments' subsidiary City Sunshine in October 2006 for S$287 million. This means each unit owner will get between S$3.7 million and S$9.4 million.

However, some minority owners complained that the deal was not done in good faith, with no land survey done.

They also contended that a meeting of owners was not called before the price was accepted.

Now that the appeal has been withdrawn, the sale must be completed within a month. - 938LIVE/ac
Hello! You OK or not?
Where got good news?

Yah! Each unit owner will get between S$3.7 million and S$9.4 million. But I don't get anything out of this deal leh. Where is the good news?

Now these millionaires can go buy a few condos while I go buy a few toto's. Where is the good news?

[Unregistered]

Hello! You OK or not?
Where got good news?

Yah! Each unit owner will get between S$3.7 million and S$9.4 million. But I don't get anything out of this deal leh. Where is the good news?

Now these millionaires can go buy a few condos while I go buy a few toto's. Where is the good news?
What? These millionaires will be buying? I better buy before they do.

[Unregistered]

What? These millionaires will be buying? I better buy before they do.
Stop it! No need to be so kiasu!

[Unregistered]

Stop it! No need to be so kiasu!
You go stop lah.

[Unregistered]

I want bad news now!

Wah lau! So many bad news out there. Just grab one and hug it lah.
What do you want to do with the bad news?
They are useless now.
The market simply ignores all these bad news.

[Unregistered]

http://l.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/nws/p/reuters_logo_94.png
Manhattan Apartment Prices Rise
Ilaina Jonas
Reuters
New York, New York, U.S.
Wednesday, 2 April 2008, 12:41am U.S. EDT

Manhattan apartment prices soared in the first quarter, but sales fell and inventory rose under the weight of tighter mortgage terms and Wall Street job fears, according to several reports.

The median sales price rose 13.2% to a record $945,276 over the prior-year quarter, while the average sales price increased 33.5% to a record $1,722,991, according to the Prudential Douglas Elliman Manhattan Market Overview quarterly report released on Wednesday.

"The market is leaning much more to the higher end and part of that comes from what's gone on in the mortgage markets," said Greg Heym, senior vice president of research for Terra Holdings, parent company of real estate firms Brown Harris Stevens and Halstead Property.

"In the mid- to lower-price stuff you see fewer sales in these categories because those are the people affected by tighter standards," Heym said.

The Manhattan housing market has been insulated from the U.S. housing crisis that has sent the national median sales price of an existing home down 8.2% to $195,900. New home prices have fallen even further.

However, soaring mortgage defaults nationwide set off a broader credit crisis that could put more than 25,000 New York jobs in the financial sector - which drives the local real estate market -- at risk.

"When a market is on such solid footing as ours was, it cannot fall apart in a span of a couple of months. It's going to take longer than that. You're going to have to see more layoffs actually happening," Heym said. "Until people are forced to sell their apartment for whatever they can get for them, that's the missing ingredient in a downturn."

So far it hasn't.

The average price per square foot leaped 20.5% to a record US$1,289 psf, according to the Prudential report.

Halstead Property said the average price rose 47% over the first quarter 2007 to $1,690,995, driven by sales of apartment priced over $10 million.

"There were 84 sales in between 15 Central Park West and The Plaza and the effect that that has on all these number is tremendous," Heym said.

Some of the apartment sold during the quarter -- including those at 15 Central Park West and The Plaza -- reflect deals that had been agreed to in previous years.

The median sales price rose 13%, Halstead said. Although sales at ultra luxury projects 15 Central Park West and The Plaza skewed the results, prices still set records or near records even after removing those deals. Without the two projects the average price would have been $1,417,496, Halstead said.

Yet the pace of sales slowed and the number of homes on the market rose for the first time since the housing boom started about four years ago, Herman said.

"That's the story -- sales and inventory this quarter," said Jonathan Miller, author of the Prudential report.

The number of sales fell 1%, according to Halstead. It had about 600 more sales in its statistical pool than Prudential, which said the number fell 34.3% this quarter to 2,282 units. It was the largest drop since Miller began compiling the report in 1989.

"These numbers reflect what happen with the mortgage fiasco," and do not reflect the layoffs that have yet to happen, said Dottie Herman, Prudential CEO.

"People have no sense of urgency, and you're in a much more price sensitive time now," she said. "There's a lot of uncertainty."

The number of homes on the market rose 4.6% to 6,194 from last year, Prudential said. Homes for sale remained on the market for 146 days, two weeks longer than a year earlier, according to the Prudential report.

Wiggle room on prices remained about the same as last year, about a 3.2% discount from the asking price, according to the Prudential report.

"It's not a buyers' market yet, but the pendulum has switched to the buyers now," Corcoran Group Chief Executive Officer Pam Liebman said.

The Corcoran Group said the average price jumped 19% to $1.626 million, while the median rose 9% to $917,000. The price per square foot was up 16% to $1,224. Inventory of homes for sale was up 15% at the end of March.
How come Manhatten can still go up? Strange!

[Unregistered]

Interesting analysis from Singapore expat forum. What do you guys say? Any views?



Posted: Sat Mar 29, 2008 8:54 pm Post subject: Singapore Property Going Down The Tubes?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I sent my buddy an e-mail asking if it was a good time to buy property in Singapore...

He's a Hong Kong based Asia property analyst for a small successful private investment bank.
He sent me this....(don't shoot me, I'm just the messenger.)

Quote:
Well...I would wait at least another 6 months to a year.

We told clients and investors to sell all Singapore holdings (property, stocks and everything else) in June 2007. We determined that prices would never, ever be higher and were predicting a 15% drop in pricing by March 2008 and 25% drop by June 2008.

Rationale was simple and not rocket science.

#1. There was no demand for housing when the boom started.
The vacancy rates on existing housing were above New York, London, Hong Kong, Tokyo and other major urban market levels. A Singapore property boom made no sense at all.

#2. Singapore GDP...nice impressive numbers. But the growth was 99% construction related. There is no economic growth when the construction boom ends and those numbers are subtracted from the total.

#3. The existing luxury housing vacancy levels in Singapore were adequate to fill the needs of Singaporeans and any possible influx of new senior executives for the next 5 years. Thus, there was no demand for executive luxury housing in the market.

#4. Value for money on Singapore property for foreign investors is not good when compared to other projected growth economies. (several factors are weighed including psf, quality of workmanship, size of economy, projected growth of economy, lifestyle and culture of the market.)

#4. The targeted future population numbers of Singapore are pie in the sky and completely without substance. Singaporeans are not having kids and the demand for jobs in Singapore will be service led lower paying jobs to supply the planned tourism developments. Non of these new inhabitants will be buying or renting condo's, especially in the high-end. And tourists visit, they don't buy or rent.

#5. Singapore is not a supply/demand driven economy. It is a small, managed economy. Thus, the property development plans were lofty, risky, and not based on future real supply/demand realities.

#6. There is a lack of real, transparent, objective information available in the Singapore market about the Singapore market. This leads to investors belief in hype and speculation rather than economic principles.

#7. Global money supplies and markets are taking a beating and will continue to take a beating. The second call on the sub prime products happens this June so more big losses are expected. This will stall or even damage the Singapore economy.

We expect distress sales in the property market to start soon. The high-end rental market is non-existent and the higher % of all unit sales were high-end investment property, speculator driven.
These buyers need "wealthy" renters to subsidize the million dollar mortgages. Most locals cannot afford the rents the market is demanding.
Surveys of multinational companies and banks have indicated that there is no boat-load of expats with a big housing allowance arriving at the Singapore port anytime soon. The new owner is now stuck with 100% of a very expensive monthly mortgage.

Here is an example of one major high-end development I'm following to prove the point. These are some very telling numbers.
600+ units launched
20+ remaining at $2,000 per square foot via the developer.
100+ units previously sold are now for sale privately less than 7 months after launch for $1,300 to $1,600 per square foot.
The reason...no rental income.
That tells me that property owners are willing to admit that market prices are down 25%+ already. Unfortunately, even at a 25% discount, there are no buyers.

Existing Singapore residents are keeping the rental market buoyant due to the fact they sold their old places and are waiting for the prices to drop...OR...waiting for their new unit to be completed. These people are relatively small in overall numbers and definitely not going to rent high end luxury units. They are driving HDB, middle priced housing rents up right now. They are also demanding 12 month leases or even less if they can get it proving that they are waiting to move or sitting on the sidelines waiting for prices to drop.

The Singapore property market is massively oversupplied today and more units are on the way. This is not good. This is should be extremely troublesome to anyone who owns property anywhere in that market. The potential valuation losses in the property market could be enormous, especially at the high-end. Overall prices could sink well below SARS levels and this could happen within 6 months to a year.

The short lived property boom was very much like a pyramid scheme.
It was all hype and no substance.
The first guys in are now smoking big cigars.
The last guys in are now left holding the ashtray.

[Unregistered]

Interesting analysis from Singapore expat forum. What do you guys say? Any views?
Why you multiple-post the same message on all the threads?
How to reply you?
Use you brain please.

[Unregistered]

What? These millionaires will be buying? I better buy before they do.

U think u go buy bun isit? I dare u buy house. Dun fool around the forum here.

[Unregistered]

Within next 12 months, you will see DOW at 16000, STI at 4500, spore property will easily >60% of today's price.
No need to buy or sell, sit tight & watch.


http://www.dowjones.com/DJCom/Images/LogoHome.gif
Dow Heading For 16,000, Richard Band Says Rolling Eyes
Mark Hulbert
Dow Jones
Anandale, Virginia, U.S.
Friday, 28 March 2008, 12:58 AM U.S. EST

Richard Band is not someone who makes outlandish predictions just to get headlines.

So I sat up and took notice earlier this week when he wrote to subscribers of his Profitable Investing newsletter that the stock market was ready to "rocket higher" in an "uptrend that could carry the blue chip indexes to all-time highs by late 2008 or early 2009. Dow 16,000 here we come!"

The Hulbert Financial Digest (HFD) has been tracking Band's newsletter since the beginning of 1991. Over the subsequent 17 years, his recommended portfolio has been 35% less volatile than the overall stock market, as measured by relative volatilities. To use a baseball analogy, this shows that Band is more inclined to try to get a base hit than he is to attempt to belt a home run.

Band's conservative approach is crucial to properly interpreting his newsletter's performance. According to the HFD, the newsletter's model portfolios on average have produced an 8.6% annualized return since the beginning of 1991, in contrast to 10.9% annualized for the Dow Jones Wilshire 5000 index (DWC). But with only two thirds as much risk, we should expect some below-market return.

It turns out that, upon risk-adjusting his newsletter's performance, it equals that of the market itself. That's good enough to place it in the upper echelon of newsletters over this period, and another reason to give weight to his forecast.

Technical factors appear to have led Band to make such a bold prediction, which amounts to a 33% return for the overall market over the next 12 months.

The first has to do with the stock market's internal characteristics when it hit a low earlier this month. Band argues that that low possessed "many striking technical resemblances to the great bear market bottoms of the past."

To be sure, Band wrote that on Tuesday night, and since then the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) has dropped 230 points.

But Band says he is not particularly worried. On Thursday night, he told subscribers not to let "Mr. Market wear you out!"

Band continued: "We're in a critical stage for stocks right now, what technical analysts call the 'right shoulder' of a head-and-shoulders bottom. The left shoulder formed on March 10, when the Standard & Poor's 500 index (SPX) touched its closing low for the year (so far) at 1273.37. The upside-down head came on March 17, when the index broke to a new low intraday but finished at 1276.60, slightly above the March 10 close. Now we're sliding down again to complete the right shoulder of the pattern. If all goes well, the S&P should remain comfortably above the two previous closing lows. Then we can rocket higher in April."

Band adds that when the right shoulder of a head-and-shoulders bottom is forming, "the biggest temptation for investors is to throw up their hands and say, 'This market will never go up. It's doomed.' Don't make that mistake. A very powerful and durable rally is in the works. But it may need another couple of days to lift off. Hold the fort and keep the faith!"

Band is recommending several exchange-traded funds and one open-end mutual fund for subscribers who want to increase their equity exposure: The iShares Russell 1000 Growth Fund (IWF), the iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Index Fund (EEM), and Selected American Shares (SLASX).

Still waiting for that 1,000 point surge leh.

[Unregistered]

How come Manhatten can still go up? Strange!

Old news, Moron.

[Unregistered]

Why you multiple-post the same message on all the threads?
How to reply you?
Use you brain please.
If had brain would i Ask you. Didnt know you dont have too.

[Unregistered]

U think u go buy bun isit? I dare u buy house. Dun fool around the forum here.
Wah!
You can't afford doesn't mean others are also can't afford mah.
We have cash to do what we want to do.

[Unregistered]

How come Manhatten can still go up? Strange!
Read the news carefully line by line and between the lines too. Sales stagnating. Inventories increasing. Bubble going to burst. That is the message from your posting.

[Unregistered]

Old news, Moron.
News: old moron is here.

[Unregistered]

Read the news carefully line by line and between the lines too. Sales stagnating. Inventories increasing. Bubble going to burst. That is the message from your posting.
Did I post any message? I thought I asked a question.

[Unregistered]

Within next 12 months, you will see DOW at 16000, STI at 4500, spore property will easily >60% of today's price.
No need to buy or sell, sit tight & watch.


http://www.dowjones.com/DJCom/Images/LogoHome.gif
Dow Heading For 16,000, Richard Band Says Rolling Eyes
Mark Hulbert
Dow Jones
Anandale, Virginia, U.S.
Friday, 28 March 2008, 12:58 AM U.S. EST

Richard Band is not someone who makes outlandish predictions just to get headlines.

So I sat up and took notice earlier this week when he wrote to subscribers of his Profitable Investing newsletter that the stock market was ready to "rocket higher" in an "uptrend that could carry the blue chip indexes to all-time highs by late 2008 or early 2009. Dow 16,000 here we come!"

The Hulbert Financial Digest (HFD) has been tracking Band's newsletter since the beginning of 1991. Over the subsequent 17 years, his recommended portfolio has been 35% less volatile than the overall stock market, as measured by relative volatilities. To use a baseball analogy, this shows that Band is more inclined to try to get a base hit than he is to attempt to belt a home run.

Band's conservative approach is crucial to properly interpreting his newsletter's performance. According to the HFD, the newsletter's model portfolios on average have produced an 8.6% annualized return since the beginning of 1991, in contrast to 10.9% annualized for the Dow Jones Wilshire 5000 index (DWC). But with only two thirds as much risk, we should expect some below-market return.

It turns out that, upon risk-adjusting his newsletter's performance, it equals that of the market itself. That's good enough to place it in the upper echelon of newsletters over this period, and another reason to give weight to his forecast.

Technical factors appear to have led Band to make such a bold prediction, which amounts to a 33% return for the overall market over the next 12 months.

The first has to do with the stock market's internal characteristics when it hit a low earlier this month. Band argues that that low possessed "many striking technical resemblances to the great bear market bottoms of the past."

To be sure, Band wrote that on Tuesday night, and since then the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) has dropped 230 points.

But Band says he is not particularly worried. On Thursday night, he told subscribers not to let "Mr. Market wear you out!"

Band continued: "We're in a critical stage for stocks right now, what technical analysts call the 'right shoulder' of a head-and-shoulders bottom. The left shoulder formed on March 10, when the Standard & Poor's 500 index (SPX) touched its closing low for the year (so far) at 1273.37. The upside-down head came on March 17, when the index broke to a new low intraday but finished at 1276.60, slightly above the March 10 close. Now we're sliding down again to complete the right shoulder of the pattern. If all goes well, the S&P should remain comfortably above the two previous closing lows. Then we can rocket higher in April."

Band adds that when the right shoulder of a head-and-shoulders bottom is forming, "the biggest temptation for investors is to throw up their hands and say, 'This market will never go up. It's doomed.' Don't make that mistake. A very powerful and durable rally is in the works. But it may need another couple of days to lift off. Hold the fort and keep the faith!"

Band is recommending several exchange-traded funds and one open-end mutual fund for subscribers who want to increase their equity exposure: The iShares Russell 1000 Growth Fund (IWF), the iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Index Fund (EEM), and Selected American Shares (SLASX).

Still waiting for that 1,000 point surge leh.
Coming soon. Have patience.

[Unregistered]

http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii268/kcc0002/CIMB.jpg
...................

Thanks for the report.

All sour grapes are hoping to see the arrow going down down down but they are all disappointed as the chart all showing arrows up up up. Huat Ah!!!!!

haha....the report is saying mass market condo have at least 30-40% upside to go.

Luckily this report came from an independent research company. If it have come from a property-agent research arm, the .........
The sour grapes will shooting down this report?
Why like that?

[Unregistered]

The sour grapes will shooting down this report?
Why like that?

Old news, Moron

[Unregistered]

Old news, Moron
News: Old moron is here.

[Unregistered]

We expect distress sales in the property market to start soon. The high-end rental market is non-existent and the higher % of all unit sales were high-end investment property, speculator driven.
These buyers need "wealthy" renters to subsidize the million dollar mortgages. Most locals cannot afford the rents the market is demanding.
Surveys of multinational companies and banks have indicated that there is no boat-load of expats with a big housing allowance arriving at the Singapore port anytime soon. The new owner is now stuck with 100% of a very expensive monthly mortgage.

Here is an example of one major high-end development I'm following to prove the point. These are some very telling numbers.
600+ units launched
20+ remaining at $2,000 per square foot via the developer.
100+ units previously sold are now for sale privately less than 7 months after launch for $1,300 to $1,600 per square foot.
The reason...no rental income.
That tells me that property owners are willing to admit that market prices are down 25%+ already. Unfortunately, even at a 25% discount, there are no buyers.

Existing Singapore residents are keeping the rental market buoyant due to the fact they sold their old places and are waiting for the prices to drop...OR...waiting for their new unit to be completed. These people are relatively small in overall numbers and definitely not going to rent high end luxury units. They are driving HDB, middle priced housing rents up right now. They are also demanding 12 month leases or even less if they can get it proving that they are waiting to move or sitting on the sidelines waiting for prices to drop.

The Singapore property market is massively oversupplied today and more units are on the way. This is not good. This is should be extremely troublesome to anyone who owns property anywhere in that market. The potential valuation losses in the property market could be enormous, especially at the high-end. Overall prices could sink well below SARS levels and this could happen within 6 months to a year.

The short lived property boom was very much like a pyramid scheme.
It was all hype and no substance.
The first guys in are now smoking big cigars.
The last guys in are now left holding the ashtray.

oh is it? the writing is on the wall. morons screaming away about increasing prices. they are the ones holding the ashtray. facts are there for everyone to see.

[Unregistered]

oh is it? the writing is on the wall. morons screaming away about increasing prices. they are the ones holding the ashtray. facts are there for everyone to see.
Ha ha! Moron believes in an April Fool joke message.
If you need more messages to believe in, we can also write something for you.
What we can't write is URA figures.

[Unregistered]

http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii268/kcc0002/CIMB.jpg
...................

Thanks for the report.

All sour grapes are hoping to see the arrow going down down down but they are all disappointed as the chart all showing arrows up up up. Huat Ah!!!!!

haha....the report is saying mass market condo have at least 30-40% upside to go.


Luckily this report came from an independent research company. If it have come from a property-agent research arm, the .........

The sour grapes will be shooting down this report?
Why like that?
Of course they will shoot it down. This report states facts with graphs and figures. They don't like that. These run contrary to their message.

[Unregistered]

Ha ha! Moron believes in an April Fool joke message.
If you need more messages to believe in, we can also write something for you.
What we can't write is URA figures.
Yes you will realise it when the blood flows. Haha!!! Oh blood....when the exits are crowded with morons running for dear life.

[Unregistered]

Ha ha! Moron believes in an April Fool joke message.
If you need more messages to believe in, we can also write something for you.
What we can't write is URA figures.

URA print money? Moron

[Unregistered]

Yes you will realise it when the blood flows. Haha!!! Oh blood....when the exits are crowded with morons running for dear life.
And that moron is you. Haha!! Oh dear! What a born loser!

Anyway, since you like shout the word "moron" anywhere. Let's have a game of shouting "moron" at each other until the administrator step in. Let's polute the forum. Nice game? You like it?

[Unregistered]

URA print money? Moron
What rubbish is this? Don't use your asshole to talk.

Anyway, since you like shout the word "moron" anywhere. Let's have a game of shouting "moron" at each other until the administrator step in. Let's polute the forum. Nice game? You like it?

[Unregistered]

What rubbish is this? Don't use your asshole to talk.

Anyway, since you like shout the word "moron" anywhere. Let's have a game of shouting "moron" at each other until the administrator step in. Let's polute the forum. Nice game? You like it?

Moron no. 5, catch

[Unregistered]

What rubbish is this? Don't use your asshole to talk.

Anyway, since you like shout the word "moron" anywhere. Let's have a game of shouting "moron" at each other until the administrator step in. Let's polute the forum. Nice game? You like it?
The game has started and it will end when you jump into the sea as you the numbers come in month by month.

[Maroon 5]

Moron no. 5, catch
Why call yourself Moron no. 5?

[Unregistered]

The game has started and it will end when you jump into the sea as you the numbers come in month by month.
So you are saying it will not end since I will not be jumping into the sea.

Price increase can come in month-by-month, quarter-by-quarter, year-by-year. Big deal?

[Unregistered]

A First for Google: Layoffs
The New York Times | 03 Apr 2008 | 10:07 AM

In the first sizable layoffs in its history, Google is cutting about 300 jobs from the American operations of DoubleClick, the advertising technology company that it acquired recently, according to a person with direct knowledge of Google’s plans.

The cuts represent about a quarter of DoubleClick’s American work force of about 1,200. The company has about 1,500 employees worldwide, and the chief executive of Google, Eric E. Schmidt, has suggested that job cuts would also affect DoubleClick’s overseas operations at a later date.

Google declined to confirm the number of layoffs.

In a statement, the company said: “Since our acquisition of DoubleClick closed on March 11, we have been working to match and align DoubleClick employees in the U.S. with our organizational plan for the business. As with many mergers, this review has resulted in a reduction in headcount at the acquired company.”

Google said it also planned to sell a DoubleClick unit, Performics Search Marketing, that helps marketers place ads on search engines, including those owned by Google and its main rivals, Yahoo and Microsoft.

“It is clear to us that we do not want to be in the search engine marketing business,” Tom Phillips, director of DoubleClick integration at Google, wrote on the company’s official blog.

“At Google, maintaining objectivity in both search and advertising is paramount to our mission and core to the trust we ask from our users.”

The decision to sell Performics Search Marketing is not surprising, said Ellen Siminoff, chairman of search marketing company Efficient Frontier. Google’s job is to get paid as much as possible for the ads that appear on its pages.

“If you are a search marketing agency, your goal is to get the most for your customers’ money,” Ms. Siminoff added, noting that those two goals could be in conflict.

Mr. Phillips said Google would retain the affiliate marketing portion of the Performics unit, which helps advertisers establish networks of Web sites that can refer customers to them.

Mr. Phillips did not identify a buyer but said he had “received preliminary interest” from a number of Google’s existing partners.

Some DoubleClick employees were being laid off Wednesday, while others were being offered transitional roles, Google said. The transitional roles are expected to end after the two companies are fully integrated, said the person with knowledge of Google’s plans.

The cuts follow Google’s largest acquisition ever and were widely expected. But the number is higher than some analysts predicted and suggests that Google, which has hired aggressively in the last several years, may have become more cautious.

Google added more than 6,100 workers in 2007 and ended the year with 16,805 employees worldwide. Amid shareholder concerns about its fast-rising expenses, Mr. Schmidt promised investors last year that Google would slow its rate of hiring

[Unregistered]

So you are saying it will not end since I will not be jumping into the sea.

Price increase can come in month-by-month, quarter-by-quarter, year-by-year. Big deal?

Yes you are right, but only if you take away the '-' sign.

[Unregistered]

Yes you are right, but only if you take away the '-' sign.
Where is the '-' sign in 4.2%?

[Unregistered]

Where is the '-' sign in 4.2%?
Taking inflation into account as you always do a cool -2%

[Unregistered]

Where is the '-' sign in 4.2%?

[/szie='4']Singapore home sales seen slumping to 5-year lows[/size]

Mon Mar 17, 2008 7:12am EDT SINGAPORE, March 17 (Reuters) - Singapore homes sales in February almost halved from the previous month, and could slump this quarter to the lowest since the SARS epidemic in 2003 as surging inflation and global economic fears keep buyers at bay.

The government on Monday said 170 private homes were sold in February, less than a tenth of the homes sold last August when Singapore was still in the midst of a two-year property upswing.

The abrupt slowdown this year is hitting shares for property developers but could take some pressure off inflation that is at the highest level in 25 years.

[Unregistered]

Taking inflation into account as you always do a cool -2%
Banks give you 0.25% interest per quarter.
That would give a -6%, which is worse.

That is why people buy property to hedge against inflation.

-2% is better than -6%.

[Unregistered]

Singapore home sales seen slumping to 5-year lows

Mon Mar 17, 2008 7:12am EDT SINGAPORE, March 17 (Reuters) - [COLOR='RED']Singapore homes sales in February almost halved from the previous month, and could slump this quarter to the lowest since the SARS epidemic in 2003 as surging inflation and global economic fears keep buyers at bay.[/SIZE]

The government on Monday said 170 private homes were sold in February, less than a tenth of the homes sold last August when Singapore was still in the midst of a two-year property upswing.

The abrupt slowdown this year is hitting shares for property developers but could take some pressure off inflation that is at the highest level in 25 years.

HERE IT IS ALL THE -VE NUMBERS. OMG LOWEST SINCE 2003.

[Unregistered]

Where is the '-' sign in 4.2%?

[/szie='4']Singapore home sales seen slumping to 5-year lows[/size]

Mon Mar 17, 2008 7:12am EDT SINGAPORE, March 17 (Reuters) - Singapore homes sales in February almost halved from the previous month, and could slump this quarter to the lowest since the SARS epidemic in 2003 as surging inflation and global economic fears keep buyers at bay.

The government on Monday said 170 private homes were sold in February, less than a tenth of the homes sold last August when Singapore was still in the midst of a two-year property upswing.

The abrupt slowdown this year is hitting shares for property developers but could take some pressure off inflation that is at the highest level in 25 years.
Why post an almost-3-week-old news here?
Why not post a 3-month-old or 3-year-old news?

Anyway, price increased by 4.2%.

[Unregistered]

Banks give you 0.25% interest per quarter.
That would give a -6%, which is worse.

That is why people buy property to hedge against inflation.

-2% is better than -6%.
Yes when property fall by 50% what do you hedge against? Would make even worse.

[Unregistered]

HERE IT IS ALL THE -VE NUMBERS. OMG LOWEST SINCE 2003.
Why post an almost-3-week-old news here?
Why not post a 3-month-old or 3-year-old news?

Anyway, price increased by 4.2% - not -4.2%.

[Unregistered]

Why post an almost-3-week-old news here?
Why not post a 3-month-old or 3-year-old news?

Anyway, price increased by 4.2%.
You really are a moron. Interest depends on currency. AUD and NZD and Euro give much better returns. You are like a frog in the well...only can think of S$.

[Unregistered]

Yes when property fall by 50% what do you hedge against? Would make even worse.
But it will not. If it do, there will be no inflation.

You mean oil price will drop 50%. No, it can't too.

[Unregistered]

You really are a moron. Interest depends on currency. AUD and NZD and Euro give much better returns. You are like a frog in the well...only can think of S$.
... and subject to forex risk? Real stupid moron who talk with his asshole.

[Unregistered]

But it will not. If it do, there will be no inflation.

You mean oil price will drop 50%. No, it can't too.
Will you get rice for 2$ a kilo? You will be paying more and more. Other factors geo political, climatic changes all affect food price and that will be the biggest killer.

[Unregistered]

... and subject to forex risk? Real stupid moron who talk with his asshole.
Safer than property bubble.

[Unregistered]

... and subject to forex risk? Real stupid moron who talk with his asshole.
lol stupid moron has only one currency to think of. Balance it moron with a basket of currencies. have to tell you that also huh?

[Unregistered]

Safer than property bubble.
Safer than oil bubble?
Safer than gold bubble?
Safer than rice bubble?
Safer than steel bubble?
Safer than corn bubble?
Safer ......

[Unregistered]

lol stupid moron has only one currency to think of. Balance it moron with a basket of currencies. have to tell you that also huh?
k.n.n., stop using your ass to talk cock la moron
you are polluting the forum with your moron

[Unregistered]

lol stupid moron has only one currency to think of. Balance it moron with a basket of currencies. have to tell you that also huh?

Wa! tis place got so many brokers, real estate brokers, currency brokers, maid brokers, fruits brokers brokers, tents, moron brokers, foreign workers brokers, eggs brokers. etc, etc.

[Unregistered]

HDB and private property prices up in Q1 flash estimates
Channel NewsAsia
01 April 2008 1345 hrs

Private residential property prices in Singapore rose 4.2% in the first quarter this year, according to the latest preliminary estimates from the Urban Redevelopment Authority.

The pace was slower than the 6.8% clip recorded in the fourth quarter of last year.

On a quarter-on-quarter basis, the biggest rise in property prices for non-landed properties came from outside central region - up 4.8 percent in the January-March quarter compared with the October-December period.

Properties in the prime districts of 9, 10 and 11, as well as the downtown area and Sentosa, rose 4.4 percent on quarter.

Prices in the rest of the central region increased 3.9 percent in the first quarter from the previous three months.

The preliminary estimates were based on transaction prices given in caveats lodged during the first 10 weeks of the quarter, as well as the number of new units sold.

Meantime, the Housing and Development Board (HDB) said prices of HDB resale flats rose 3.4 percent in the January to March period over the previous three months. This was lower than the 5.7 percent increase in the fourth quarter.

Both the URA and HDB will release final figures at the end of April.

The URA said that as at 4th Quarter 2007, there are about 64,900 private residential units in the pipeline, of which about 56,100 new private housing units are expected to be completed between 2008 and 2011.

There are also some 38,300 units that have yet to be put on sale by developers.

As for the supply of government flats, the HDB said it had made available in the first quarter of this year some 1,100 new flats in two Build-To-Order (BTO) projects in Punggol and Yishun.

It said that depending on demand, there could be another 5,000 new BTO flats in towns such as Punggol, Sengkang, Woodlands and Bukit Panjang.

The total planned BTO supply of 6,100 new flats for January till September 2008 will surpass the annual BTO flat supply in 2007 and 2006.

This new supply of flats will be in addition to those offered under Balloting Exercises for surplus replacement SERS and other flats, as well as the planned release of three Design-and-Build sites in Simei, Toa Payoh and Bedok with some 1,500 flats in the first half of 2008. - CNA/sf
Alright, enough argument, gentlemen!
We have had enough discussion ever since toaler started the thread with the above message.
Let's move on to another thread.

[Unregistered]

Will you get rice for 2$ a kilo? You will be paying more and more. Other factors geo political, climatic changes all affect food price and that will be the biggest killer.

By tat time, every1 takings pills. not need food into the mouth.......dun worry

[Unregistered]

By tat time, every1 takings pills. not need food into the mouth.......dun worry
Shit! Medicine price going up too!

[Unregistered]

Shit! Medicine price going up too!
Yup! Everything up up up!

[Unregistered]

Yup! Everything up up up!
Not everything lah. SIBOR is down down down lah.

[Unregistered]

Safer than oil bubble?
Safer than gold bubble?
Safer than rice bubble?
Safer than steel bubble?
Safer than corn bubble?
Safer ......

Property is the best bet. It has proved so for the last two years and will continue to do so. Govt will not let this sector to fluctuate, because the stakeholder is the entire population of Singapore. The impact can be politically disasterous.

I would never buy the scenario of up and down and then up again. It will only be one way ticket. Of course, it will take some breather along its journey to the peak but has no reason to go down and then move up again.

Therefore, I urge all homeowners to hold on your units. The thousands sidelines eager buyers should have given you ample reason to believe that the long-term prospect of ppty in Singapore is very promising. Why let other make the profit if the profit is yours?

[Unregistered]

OH DEAR I MISSED OUT SELLING.....WHO CAN HELP ME?

[QUOTE=Unregistered]Singapore home sales seen slumping to 5-year lows
By Daryl Loo

SINGAPORE, March 17 (Reuters) - Singapore homes sales in February almost halved from the previous month, and could slump this quarter to the lowest since the SARS epidemic in 2003 as surging inflation and global economic fears keep buyers at bay.

The government on Monday said 170 private homes were sold in February, less than a tenth of the homes sold last August when Singapore was still in the midst of a two-year property upswing.

The abrupt slowdown this year is hitting shares for property developers but could take some pressure off inflation that is at the highest level in 25 years.
After January saw 316 homes sold, property analysts are predicting that total sales for the first three months of this year will be between 700-800 units, the weakest in five years.

"The only two other periods when the Singapore residential market experienced such low sales volume were during the SARS period in the first quarter of 2003 when 427 new homes were sold, and during the Asian financial crisis in the fourth quarter of 1997 when 894 units were sold," said Li Hiaw Ho, research director of property consultancy CB Richard Ellis.

So far the jury is out on how much the drop in demand has hit home prices. Private home prices in Singapore surged 31 percent last year to their highest in over ten years and near the peak of mid-1996 just before the Asian financial crisis.

High-end homes, typically those priced at above S$1,800 ($1,302) per square foot, saw the greatest jump, while the increase was more moderate for homes in the mass market segment.

But the price increase slowed in the fourth quarter as steps taken by the authorities to curb real estate market speculation took effect, including a move in October to bar developers from selling uncompleted homes on a deferred payment scheme.

"The sales figures for February were stunningly low... Buyers are becoming very conservative, although prices seem to have held up," said Jones Lang LaSalle research head Chua Yang Liang.

LAUNCH DELAYS

Reflecting the cautious mood, some developers have delayed their property launches, evident in the 343 units put up for sale in February, against 410 units in January and 445 in December.

KepLand, which is building the 221-unit Marina Bay Suites luxury apartments with Hong Kong Land and Cheung Kong, said in January that it would delay the project until the end of the Lunar New Year holiday in mid-February.
"We're still waiting for instructions to launch," said Margaret Thean, executive director of property agency DTZ, which has been appointed to market the project.

There have also been newspaper reports of property speculators who bought units last year with hopes of a speedy sale for a quick profit, but who are now being forced to sell at steep discounts due to the drop in demand. But it may not to be time to go bargain hunting just yet.

"While anecdotal evidence of lower transacted prices from desperate speculators looking to liquidate their positions have yet to be fully recognised by the entire market, the risk of a downward spiral effect in residential prices remains," Morgan Stanley analyst Melissa Bon said in a report this month.

"In addition, the bottoming out of private rental vacancies and likely peaking of rentals may put downward pressure on residential prices," she said.

The U.S. brokerage has downgraded CityDev to "underweight" for its exposure to the Singapore home market, and expects prices in the mid to high-end sectors to drop 15 percent this year, compared to its previous expectations for a 15 percent rise.

ABN AMRO analyst Fera Wirawan said homes catering to the mass market could still rise at least 5 percent as prices in this segment had not run up as much.

"It's all about sentiments now. Buyers are holding off in anticipation of a price cut. Even if developers refuse to decrease the price, especially in the high end, they can't hold out for long if the volumes stagnant like this," she said. (Editing by Neil Chatterjee)QUOTE]

[Unregistered]

OH DEAR I MISSED OUT SELLING.....WHO CAN HELP ME?

[QUOTE=Unregistered]Singapore home sales seen slumping to 5-year lows
By Daryl Loo

SINGAPORE, March 17 (Reuters) - Singapore homes sales in February almost halved from the previous month, and could slump this quarter to the lowest since the SARS epidemic in 2003 as surging inflation and global economic fears keep buyers at bay.

The government on Monday said 170 private homes were sold in February, less than a tenth of the homes sold last August when Singapore was still in the midst of a two-year property upswing.

The abrupt slowdown this year is hitting shares for property developers but could take some pressure off inflation that is at the highest level in 25 years.
After January saw 316 homes sold, property analysts are predicting that total sales for the first three months of this year will be between 700-800 units, the weakest in five years.

"The only two other periods when the Singapore residential market experienced such low sales volume were during the SARS period in the first quarter of 2003 when 427 new homes were sold, and during the Asian financial crisis in the fourth quarter of 1997 when 894 units were sold," said Li Hiaw Ho, research director of property consultancy CB Richard Ellis.

So far the jury is out on how much the drop in demand has hit home prices. Private home prices in Singapore surged 31 percent last year to their highest in over ten years and near the peak of mid-1996 just before the Asian financial crisis.

High-end homes, typically those priced at above S$1,800 ($1,302) per square foot, saw the greatest jump, while the increase was more moderate for homes in the mass market segment.

But the price increase slowed in the fourth quarter as steps taken by the authorities to curb real estate market speculation took effect, including a move in October to bar developers from selling uncompleted homes on a deferred payment scheme.

"The sales figures for February were stunningly low... Buyers are becoming very conservative, although prices seem to have held up," said Jones Lang LaSalle research head Chua Yang Liang.

LAUNCH DELAYS

Reflecting the cautious mood, some developers have delayed their property launches, evident in the 343 units put up for sale in February, against 410 units in January and 445 in December.

KepLand, which is building the 221-unit Marina Bay Suites luxury apartments with Hong Kong Land and Cheung Kong, said in January that it would delay the project until the end of the Lunar New Year holiday in mid-February.
"We're still waiting for instructions to launch," said Margaret Thean, executive director of property agency DTZ, which has been appointed to market the project.

There have also been newspaper reports of property speculators who bought units last year with hopes of a speedy sale for a quick profit, but who are now being forced to sell at steep discounts due to the drop in demand. But it may not to be time to go bargain hunting just yet.

"While anecdotal evidence of lower transacted prices from desperate speculators looking to liquidate their positions have yet to be fully recognised by the entire market, the risk of a downward spiral effect in residential prices remains," Morgan Stanley analyst Melissa Bon said in a report this month.

"In addition, the bottoming out of private rental vacancies and likely peaking of rentals may put downward pressure on residential prices," she said.

The U.S. brokerage has downgraded CityDev to "underweight" for its exposure to the Singapore home market, and expects prices in the mid to high-end sectors to drop 15 percent this year, compared to its previous expectations for a 15 percent rise.

ABN AMRO analyst Fera Wirawan said homes catering to the mass market could still rise at least 5 percent as prices in this segment had not run up as much.

"It's all about sentiments now. Buyers are holding off in anticipation of a price cut. Even if developers refuse to decrease the price, especially in the high end, they can't hold out for long if the volumes stagnant like this," she said. (Editing by Neil Chatterjee)

Not to worry friend. Just wait another 10 years. By then it would come back up.

[Unregistered]

OH DEAR I MISSED OUT SELLING.....WHO CAN HELP ME?

[QUOTE=Unregistered]Singapore home sales seen slumping to 5-year lows
By Daryl Loo

...............................
...............................
Why keeping posting the same almost-3-week-old news again and again?
Why not post a 3-month-old or 3-year-old news?

Anyway, price increased by 4.2%. No old news can change that.

[Unregistered]

[QUOTE=Unregistered]OH DEAR I MISSED OUT SELLING.....WHO CAN HELP ME?



Not to worry friend. Just wait another 10 years. By then it would come back up.
Why reply to your same almost-3-week-old news?
Why not post a 3-month-old or 3-year-old news?

Anyway, price increased by 4.2%. No old news can change that.
Since price has not went down, mentioning coming back up is irrelevant.

[Unregistered]

OH DEAR I MISSED OUT SELLING.....WHO CAN HELP ME?
Thanks for the advice.
I have just seen one sour grape in action above.

Why keeping posting the same almost-3-week-old news again and again?
Why not post a 3-month-old or 3-year-old news?

Anyway, price increased by 4.2%. No old news can change that.

...................
And also, let me warn you ... there is a bunch of people lurking around here in this forum called "sour grapes". I don't know where they come from, but they like to spread lies and misinformation about the property market.

Since late last year, they have been constantly claiming that the property market has crashed, and whenever some people pointed out that the latest official data ddd not reflect that, these "sour grapes" would say that they were referring to the "latest" transactions which have not yet been captured by URA.

October turned into November, November turned into December ... February turned into March, but even when the URA data shows that prices have gone up by 4.2% in Q1 2008, these "sour grapes" denied it.

You have to be careful of such people, I can tell you they are up to no good and like to bullshit.
...............

[Unregistered]

Why keeping posting the same almost-3-week-old news again and again?
Why not post a 3-month-old or 3-year-old news?

Anyway, price increased by 4.2%. No old news can change that.

Price may have increased 4%. Rice increased 50%. Oil increased 25%. So what is 4%. But scary is that Sales not increasing. Didnt you read about speculators panicking? Wait I post for you. Read again.


Singapore home sales seen slumping to 5-year lows
By Daryl Loo

SINGAPORE, March 17 (Reuters) - Singapore homes sales in February almost halved from the previous month, and could slump this quarter to the lowest since the SARS epidemic in 2003 as surging inflation and global economic fears keep buyers at bay.

.............................There have also been newspaper reports of property speculators who bought units last year with hopes of a speedy sale for a quick profit, but who are now being forced to sell at steep discounts due to the drop in demand. But it may not to be time to go bargain hunting just yet.

.....................................................................
"In addition, the bottoming out of private rental vacancies and likely peaking of rentals may put downward pressure on residential prices," she said.

The U.S. brokerage has downgraded CityDev to "underweight" for its exposure to the Singapore home market, and expects prices in the mid to high-end sectors to drop 15 percent this year, compared to its previous expectations for a 15 percent rise.

ABN AMRO analyst Fera Wirawan said homes catering to the mass market could still rise at least 5 percent as prices in this segment had not run up as much.

"It's all about sentiments now. Buyers are holding off in anticipation of a price cut. Even if developers refuse to decrease the price, especially in the high end, they can't hold out for long if the volumes stagnant like this," she said. (Editing by Neil Chatterjee)

[Unregistered]

Property is the best bet. It has proved so for the last two years and will continue to do so. Govt will not let this sector to fluctuate, because the stakeholder is the entire population of Singapore. The impact can be politically disasterous.

I would never buy the scenario of up and down and then up again. It will only be one way ticket. Of course, it will take some breather along its journey to the peak but has no reason to go down and then move up again.

Therefore, I urge all homeowners to hold on your units. The thousands sidelines eager buyers should have given you ample reason to believe that the long-term prospect of ppty in Singapore is very promising. Why let other make the profit if the profit is yours?

Help the owners service loan la