This week has been a good one for investors in real estate shares, who had seen their investments lose 30%-55% in value over the past six months in the wake of a number of corruption allegations involving the sector.
Kotak Realty Fund, the property investment arm of India’s Kotak Mahindra Bank, plans to raise as much as USD 500 million by the second quarter of this year, in a bet on the long term case for property in Asia’s third-largest economy, a top official said.
Indians are emerging as among the most active buyers of property in Britain, according to a report in local British media.
It seems to be a box-office-hit bollywood potboiler where a billioner realtor is interrogated as many as 29 times over a period of four years, gets arrested on charges of money laundering. But in the end manages the investigation and a weak case is what makes him laugh away at the system.
As Central Business Districts (CBD) begin to gradually lose their sheen against alternative locations because of their inability to offer Grade A buildings at competitive rates, retrofitting emerges as a preferred option (as compared with redevelopment) for quality improvement to increase the attractiveness and economic life of existing old buildings.
Global hotel chain Hilton Worldwide has opened its fourth India property in Chennai. According to the company release, the five-star 204-room Hilton Chennai, positioned as a business hotel, is owned by Empee Group, which has diversified interests from alcoholic beverages to property development.
The budget speech indicated further progress on the Direct Tax Code (DTC) as well as the GST – both critical measures, which is a welcome move. Though, I feel that it would have been better for the industry if GST was also rolled out along with the DTC.
The limit of funds to be invested by foreign investors in the Indian infrastructure sector has been raised with Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee also allowing mutual funds to accept foreign funds in the national budget presented on Monday.
Realty firm Ansal API is looking at a fund infusion of about Rs 500 crore from a host of private equity investors, including IL&FS Investment Managers and Red Fort Capital, for its ongoing construction work in north India.
Seven years ago, the managing committee of the National Sports Club of India (NSCI) suddenly started breaking down the existing Vallabhbhai Patel Stadium to start building–what they led everyone to believe–would be Mumbai’s first international Olympic size indoor stadium. The project was conceived in 2003 to be worth around Rs 40 crore and scheduled to be completed in 18 months. Seven years and Rs 200 crore later, it still isn’t functional, but the superstructure is ready.