Protasco is a well-established player in the construction industry where its forte is in road maintenance works on top of several business divisions.

After the lacklustre retail sales figures seen this year, retailers and analysts expect consumer spending to gradually recover next year. The immediate concern over the glut of retail space, however, remains a wild card in 2017.

The end of the year is a time to reflect on the challenges faced and achievements made in the past year and to remind ourselves that all may not be so rosy next year.

The weak sentiment towards Iskandar Malaysia’s properties had also severely affected UEM Sunrise’s property sales in Iskandar Puteri.

The year has been a mixed bag for the global property markets; some have performed fairly well while some, like in Malaysia, are wishing for better days ahead.

The unexpected results came amid contribution from better priced properties such as commercial properties.

Compared with peers, management of YTL REIT could at any time inject mature properties under the stable of YTL Hotels & Properties Sdn Bhd (the hospitality arm of YTL Corp Bhd) into YTL REIT.

The House Price Index (HPI) grew by 5.3% year-on-year (y-o-y) to 235.4 in the second quarter of calendar year 2016 (2Q16), which is significantly lower than the five-year average growth of 9.3%.

After assuming the role of Lendlease CEO for Asia in May, Tony ­Lombardo moved to Singapore. His home for now is in the prime District 9 neighbourhood of Cairnhill, a short ­distance from 313 @ Somerset — incidentally, a shopping mall developed by Lendlease. Linked ­underground to the Somerset MRT station, the mall has seen strong footfall since it opened in ­December 2009, says ­Lombardo, adding, “I visit 313 quite frequently”.

The  interview with Eco World Development Group Bhd president and CEO Datuk Chang Khim Wah and divisional general manager Datuk Hoe Mee Ling was held in the sales gallery — two factory lots combined — in EcoWorld’s Eco Business Park I (EPB I) in Tebrau, Johor.