BEIJING: China's agency overseeing big state-owned businesses has received plans from 78 state companies spelling out how they intend to sell out of the nation's heady property market, a Chinese newspaper said on Friday.

HONG KONG: Shanghai may step up efforts to rein in surging property prices by taxing investors who own more than one flat.

The tax is likely to target investors who owned several luxury homes that they have either leased or left vacant to bet on capital appreciation, analysts say.

SYDNEY: Activity in Australia's construction industry contracted in March, as house building slowed and new orders dipped for the first time in eight months, a survey showed on Friday.

HULU SELANGOR: The MCA does not regard the problem of land ownership in Selangor as a big issue because the matter had been given ample attention when the Barisan Nasional (BN) was in power until March 2008, MCA secretary-general Datuk Kong Cho Ha said today (April 8).

KUALA LUMPUR: Bina Puri Holdings Bhd, through its Thailand incorporated and member company Bina Puri (Thailand) Ltd, received a letter of award from Melewar Integrated Engineering Sdn Bhd for a contract sum worth RM6.3 million on March 15.

KUCHING: The study and feedback pertaining to the proposed new design of the longhouse in Sarawak is expected to be completed by month-end, deputy state secretary Datuk Abdul Ghafur Shariff said here today (April 8).

PETALING JAYA: Property Care Services (M) Sdn Bhd (PCS Malaysia), a provider of property support services in Malaysia, has recently appointed Chris Choy as its general manager.

KUALA LUMPUR: Mah Sing Group Bhd has released the final 12 duplex office suites (pictured) out of 40 available at its Southgate Commercial Centre development on Jalan Sungai Besi, Kuala Lumpur.

NEW YORK: A former Citigroup Inc senior underwriter warned senior managers including Robert Rubin that the bank was selling problem loans to investors as the mortgage market peaked and deflated, the executive testified.

GEORGE TOWN: The Penang Turf Club (PTC) is a profit-making enterprise and hence it is only right for the club to pay quit rent under commercial rates, says Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.