Bloomberg Japan’s real estate investment trusts have soared in value to become the priciest in the world. More purchases by one of the biggest investors in the landlord business — the Bank of Japan — may help propel prices even higher. Buying by the BOJ has helped boost premiums on J-REITs, which manage rental properties such as apartments, offices …

  Bloomberg Scorching prices in Canada’s top housing markets are unlikely to see declines because the major drivers are beyond the reach of traditional monetary policy, according to Bank of Montreal’s top economists. “Monetary policy can’t do anything about the inferno,” according to the draft of a report led by Douglas Porter, the bank’s chief economist . “None of the …

  Bloomberg Berkeley Group Holdings Plc said reservations for new homes dropped 20 percent in the five months through May after the developer offered fewer projects for sale ahead of the U.K.’s vote on membership of the European Union next week. The shares fell. “After such strong market conditions for our industry, transaction levels in both the second-hand and new-homes …

  Bloomberg In 2005, George Fontini, a co-founder of Mudd Jeans, had recently sold the business for a reported $45 million to Iconix Brand Group and was looking for something to do. “A friend was doing real estate out here,” Fontini said, “and talked to me about a property [in Amagansett, Long Island]. I came out, looked at it, loved …

DUBAI / WAM In his capacity as Ruler of Dubai, the Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, issued Law No. (8) of the year 2016 regulating the granting of law enforcement capacity in the emirate of Dubai. The law will ensure proper implementation of legislations by those granted law enforcement …

  ABU DHABI / WAM Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, in his capacity as Ruler of Dubai, issued Decree No. 20/2016 appointing Abdullah Mohammed Saeed Ghobash as Director-General of Dubai’s Financial Audit Department (FAD). The decree is effective from the date of issuance and will be …

  ABU DHABI / WAM The Abu Dhabi National Energy Company, TAQA, finalised the issuance of US$500 million 3.625% senior notes due in June 2021 and US$500 million 4.375% senior notes due in June 2026. The proceeds of this issuance will be used for general corporate purposes and to pay back the US$1 billion bond maturing in October 2016. The …

  Fallujah / AFP The IS group battled Iraqi forces and held civilians hostage on Wednesday to defend its bastion of Fallujah, where three weeks of fighting has forced tens of thousands from their homes. Security forces have retaken significant parts of southern Fallujah over the past two weeks and are now attacking the extremists in the Jbeil neighbourhood, officers said. …

  HYDERABAD / AFP The southern Indian state of Telangana has declared a “high alert” for polio after an active strain of the virus was found in samples of sewage water in the state capital. RajeshwarTiwari, Telangana’s top health official, said on Wednesday that a vaccination drive will be launched next week after tests revealed the Type-2 polio virus in …

  Tripoli / AFP Forces allied with Libya’s unity government said on Wednesday they had repelled a counter-attack by the IS group in the extremists’ coastal stronghold of Sirte. IS extremists hit positions controlled by fighters loyal to Libya’s UN-backed Government of National Accord west of the city with tank, mortar and sniper fire on Tuesday, according to a statement …