President Donald Trump said on Wednesday the United States was considering a big “fine” as part of a probe into China’s alleged theft of intellectual property, the clearest indication yet that his administration will take retaliatory trade action against China.In an interview with Reuters, Trump and his economic adviser Gary Cohn said China had forced U.S. companies to transfer their intellectual property to China as a cost of doing business there.The United States has started a trade investigation into the issue, and Cohn said the United States Trade Representative would be making recommendations about it soon.“We have a very big intellectual property potential fine going, which is going to come out soon,” Trump said in the interview.While Trump did not specify what he meant by a “fine” against China, the 1974 trade law that authorized an investigation into China’s alleged theft of U.S. intellectual property allows him to impose … [Read more...] about Trump considers big ‘fine’ over China intellectual property theft
Property
Are REITs better than property funds?
First introduced in 2014 to replace the Property Funds for Public Offering (PFPO) scheme, REITs have gained popularity and played an increasingly important role in Thailand's real estate industry. Since its introduction, the total REIT market capitalisation has reached 85 billion baht across 2 million square metres of assets. However, an open question remains -- are REITs really a better vehicle than property funds?JLL has made a comparative analysis to identify key advantages and disadvantages of REITs over property funds, focusing on not only the regulatory aspect but also the performances of the two real estate investment vehicles. Following are some of the key findings from the analysis: Regulatory RequirementsREITs require a minimum free float of 15% of total units issued, offer higher gearing ratios and a wider range of investible asset classes than property funds within a revised tax framework that de-emphasises using the vehicle as a tax shelter (which was common under the … [Read more...] about Are REITs better than property funds?
Singapore property seen on path to recovery after prolonged slump
Singapore – Singapore’s housing market is expected to build on its recovery over 2018, analysts say, as private home prices marked their first annual rise in four years.After hitting a record peak in the third quarter of 2013, a string of government cooling measures drove private residential home prices down for 15 consecutive quarters through to the second quarter of this year.That downturn may be over if optimistic forecasts by analysts are anything to go by, with a strong pick up on the cards after home prices edged up just 1.0% for the whole of 2017.Credit Suisse forecast residential prices to rise 5% to 10% in 2018, and named UOL Group Ltd (UTOS.SI) as its top pick for stocks among Singapore developers.“Particularly supportive of sustained property price increases is the breadth of household income growth and strong household balance sheets today,” Credit Suisse analysts said in a note on Wednesday.Morgan Stanley forecast an increase of 8 per cent this year … [Read more...] about Singapore property seen on path to recovery after prolonged slump
One thing the Mayor can do to help the homeless: raise the property tax
There are few who would argue Toronto’s shelter system is in crisis.As health-care providers and organizations working with people who are experiencing homelessness, we see the consequences. We see the relentless stress that results from waking up unsure as to whether or not your basic needs will be met. The health issues that arise from overcrowded conditions. The trauma and injuries that come from the constant lack of safety associated with homelessness. And yes, we see the injuries and deaths that result from exposure to the elements.With the recent extreme cold, there has been an outpouring of concern over the safety of people who are homeless. Right now, media is focused on the chronic shortage of shelter beds and deeply challenging conditions in the winter respite centres.Less discussed are the annual budget decisions that lead to this ongoing and predictable suffering. Several of these decisions will be made by city council and its committees in the coming weeks, and … [Read more...] about One thing the Mayor can do to help the homeless: raise the property tax
KC Property terminates 2 following SEC accusations
KC Property Plc has announced that two persons implicated in fraudulent acts accused by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) have been expelled from the company. The two executives accused of inaccurate accounting records were identified as Kitisan Mookdee and Teerasit Sangngern. Mr Kitisan held the positions of director and managing director, while Mr Teerasit was the assistant managing director of the legal department."The company was informed of the matter on Jan 5 and the two persons have been terminated from the positions of director and executive of the company, respectively from Jan 5," said KC Property in a statement.Both fall under the SEC's definition of "untrustworthy characteristics for directors and executives of a securities issuing company or listed company" pursuant to the SEC notification, the statement said."The two executives have left their positions and are barred from serving as directors or executives of securities issuing or listed companies pursuant to … [Read more...] about KC Property terminates 2 following SEC accusations