Markets / Economy

FT – IMF warns of mounting debt crisis risk in poor countries – Kate Allen 3/22

• “The world’s poorest countries are increasing their borrowing at a worrying pace and face the mounting risk of debt crises, the IMF has warned.”
• “Since 2013, the median ratio of public debt to gross domestic product in low-income countries has risen 13 percentage points to hit 47% in 2017, according to new research by the IMF.”
• “The research found that 40% of low-income developing countries face ‘significant debt-related challenges’, up from 21% just five years ago.”
• “Fiscal deficits rose between 2013 and 2017 in nearly three-quarters of the nations the IMF studied, and in nearly half of those cases the deficit increase came despite a decline in investment, an indication that the debt was not being put to productive use economically. “
• “As a result it is becoming increasingly likely that more poor countries will face a debt crisis, the IMF staff paper said.” 
• 

Real Estate

Bloomberg – The Manhattan Luxury-Home Market Is Screaming: I’m Overpriced! – Oshrat Carmiel 3/23

• “Homes prices at $4 million or more that went into contract in the first 12 weeks of the year had their asking prices cut by an average of 10%, the most in data going back to 2012, according to Olshan Realty Inc.”

FT – China looks to Reits to ease housing woes – Gabriel Wildau and Yizhen Jia 3/22

• “Xi’s drive to encourage building of residences for rent opens market worth a potential $2tn.”
• “Since 2014, 30 quasi-REITs worth Rmb65bn have been issued on the Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges and through private placements, according to the China REITs Alliance, an industry group.” 
• “But these products trade over the counter, so liquidity is poor. Most are also not accessible to retail investors. Some also differ from true REITs because their yields derive partly from capital appreciation, not only rental income.”
• “The value of Chinese REITs could reach Rmb4 to Rmb12tn if their share of gross domestic product or of total real estate assets were comparable to the same ratios in the US, according to estimates last year by researchers at Peking university’s Guanghua School of Management.”
• “But experts say a more active REITs market in China requires action from the tax bureau. The boom in Chinese housing and land prices over the past decade means that absent new policy, older property sold off to a REIT would be subject to large capital gains taxes.”
• “High property prices also mean that rental yields are low — often less than 3% for commercial real estate and under 1% for residential. Without tax benefits, dividend yields on REITs would be too low to attract investor interest.” 

Environment / Science

BBC News – Plastic patch in Pacific Ocean growing rapidly, study shows – Helen Briggs 3/22

• “A collection of plastic afloat in the Pacific Ocean is growing rapidly, according to a new scientific estimate.”
• “Predictions suggest a build-up of about 80,000 tons of plastic in the ‘Great Pacific Garbage Patch’ between California and Hawaii.”
• “This figure is up to sixteen times higher than previously reported, say international researchers.”
• “One trawl in the center of the patch had the highest concentration of plastic ever recorded.”