Grubb & Ellis Predicts a Challenging 2009 for Commercial Real Estate as Economy Weathers Recession (PR Newswire via Yahoo! Finance)
Grubb & Ellis Company , a leading real estate services and investment firm, today released its 2009 Global Real Estate Forecast, which indicates that 2009 will be a challenging year for commercial real estate with the economy starting the year 13 months into what may become the longest recession since the 1930s.

China to Introduce Real-Estate Investment Trusts (Update1) (Bloomberg)
Jan. 6 (Bloomberg) -- China’s central bank and banking regulator are formulating a plan to allow developers to raise funds through real-estate investment trusts, or REITs, hoping to restart construction projects hamstrung by financing issues.

China Stocks Rise, Led by Financials on Pudong Bank Profit (Bloomberg)
Jan. 6 (Bloomberg) -- China’s benchmark stock index rose for a second day, led by financial and energy companies, after Shanghai Pudong Development Bank Co. said profit more than doubled and crude oil prices traded close to a one-month high.

Office Demand Is Down, and So Are the Deals (New York Times)
By most accounts, the commercial property market reached its pinnacle in early 2007 with the Blackstone Group ’s acquisition of Equity Office Properties Trust and its prized cache of more than 500 office buildings.

Share prices end firmer, CI up three pct (The New Sabah Times)
KUALA LUMPUR : Share prices on Bursa Malaysia were firmer at close yesterday on follow through buying in selected heavyweights, particularly plantation stocks, dealers said.

Planners Look to Pax River as Guide Ahead of Military Base Expansions (Washington Post)
Where once there were trees and fields there stand office buildings adorned with the names of giant military contractors: Northrup Grumman, Sikorsky, Raytheon and more. The road leading to the Patuxent River Naval Air Station has widened from two lanes to six and become lined for miles with shopping...

Industrial Park interchange on a fast track (The Florence Times-Daily)
A fast-track construction project to improve access to Barton Riverfront Industrial Park is moving forward despite a wet winter.