CANBERRA: Residential land values continued to rise and sales volumes sunk further in the December 2010 quarter, said the Housing Industry Association (HIA).

The HIA-rpdata.com Residential Land Report found the volume of land sales fell sharply in the December 2010 quarter (4Q2010), reaching the lowest level in a decade. Sales were down by 40.4% compared to the same quarter in 2009.

IPOH: The Perak Malay Contractors Association Malaysia (PKMM) will be investing RM50 million to develop a complex building in Bandar Meru Raya here this year, its Chairman Datuk Wira Jamaluddin Abdul Rahim said.

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's property market enjoyed double-digit growth in 2010, expanding 11.4% and 32.4% in volume and transaction value respectively.

HONG KONG: Bidding at next week's auction of a development site in Hung Hom is expected to be cautious as a result of limits placed on the extra floor area a developer can obtain.

HONG KONG: The Estate Agents Authority will launch an online search service next week, giving fast access to its disciplinary records so that buyers can find out if an agent has been penalised in the last two years.

HONG KONG: Residential rents are on the rise again in Hong Kong after being on hold for four months.

"Rents of mass housing units had been flat for four months after the government imposed an additional stamp duty at the end of November last year," said Patrick Chow Mun-kit, head of research at estate agency Ricacorp Properties. "But last month we saw them pick up again."

KUALA LUMPUR: Interest swirled around Land & General Bhd (L&G) and Ace market-listed Key West Global Telecommunications Bhd on Tuesday, Apr 19, causing both stocks to end the day on the top most active volume list.

CapitaMalls Malaysia Trust (Apr 19, RM1.13)

UEM Land Holdings Bhd (Apr 19, RM2.69)

KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak on Tuesday, Apr 19 announced that RM9.6 billion would be invested by 2020 to develop the Karambunai Integrated Resort City (KIRC) as a premier world-class ecotourism destination.