Author: Jordan

Properties with persistent rental weakness are likely to become less attractive to lenders, potentially leading to tighter criteria or reduced availability of finance. The direction of travel points towards a more professional landlord base, with greater emphasis on sustainability, compliance and asset quality.  “Portfolio assessment in this context is likely to place greater emphasis on sustainability of income, resilience to void periods, and overall compliance with evolving regulatory expectations.”  That shift is also being reflected in how brokers approach portfolio clients. Amar Dhanota (pictured, top left), director at London F-S, said the shift towards a more complex and professional landlord market is reinforcing…

Eight weeks have now passed since US and Israeli strikes on Iran. This led to the ongoing blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a key chokepoint for the global oil market with roughly 20m b/d of oil moving through the strait prior to the war. After considering the diversion of some oil via pipelines and the trickle of tankers still making it through the Strait of Hormuz, around 14m b/d of oil supply is currently disrupted. Over the first 2 months of the conflict, around 850m barrels of supply have been lost. Clearly, the disruption grows every day that passes…

Tennessee lawmakers pass bill expanding when deadly force can be used on private property WTVC Source link

Colorado state senators advanced a bill Monday that supporters say could help restaurants by eliminating certain credit card swipe fees.The measure now heads to a final vote in the State Senate, but critics, including lawmakers, credit unions, and other groups, say the bill creates favoritism and could be costly to small businesses.Swipe fees can account for 3% to 4% of each transaction, cutting into already thin margins for many restaurants.In a recent survey of more than 100 members of the Colorado Restaurant Association, respondents said they could save money if a bill to eliminate swipe fees passes and redirect those funds…

A new proposal from Greater Grove Hall Main Streets and Boston-based architectural firm Payette offers a strategy for building affordable homes using a combination of city-owned land, modular housing and land use reforms.  As Greater Grove Hall Main Streets executive director Ed Gaskin explains in CommonWealth Beacon, the plan hinges on the use of 1,200 vacant properties owned by the city of Boston, including at least 158 “sliver lots” typically smaller than 3,000 square feet, identified as suitable for infill housing. “Individually, these lots are often dismissed as too small or irregular to attract private development. Collectively, they represent a…

New research from Roy Morgan shows 26.8% of mortgage holders ‘At Risk’ of ‘mortgage stress’ in the three months to March 2026, up 1.9% points from February 2026, after the Reserve Bank raised interest rates for a second straight month in March by +0.25% to 4.1%.A share of 26.8% of mortgage holders ‘At Risk’ of mortgage stress is equivalent to 1,447,000 people – up 130,000 on a month ago. The record high of 35.6% of mortgage holders ‘At Risk’ of mortgage stress was reached back in mid-2008.The number ‘At Risk’ of mortgage stress is virtually unchanged on a year agoThe…

Karawang, IO – Andi Amran Sulaiman, the head of the National Food Agency (Bapanas) and Minister of Agriculture, detailed the indications of Indonesia’s food self-sufficiency attained during President Prabowo Subianto’s administration. On April 23, 2026, the remarks were presented during an interactive discussion with observers, academics, and members of the press at the Perum Bulog Filial Warehouse in Karawang, West Java. In his presentation, Amran stated that imports of major staple food items for consumption account for only about 5% of overall domestic demand. This figure is well within the Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) requirements for food self-sufficiency. “What…

Stock markets around the world sold off sharply after the US and Israel attacked Iran on February 28. Despite the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz since the war began, global stock prices have rebounded since the end of March. That is surprising, given that many countries’ economies are vulnerable to stagflation and even recessions if oil prices remain elevated and oil shortages occur. Even more surprising is that industry analysts have raised their forward earnings expectations to record highs for the All Country World (ACW) ex-US MSCI in recent weeks, and at a faster pace (chart). They are either…

Korea mortgage rates rise sixth month as borrowers shift to variable loans – CHOSUNBIZ Chosunbiz Source link

Gold and Silver are not responding to Dollar—and that is a warning signal. Despite a weaker USD at the start of the week, both Gold and Silver have failed to attract meaningful buying interest, trading instead in narrow ranges. This breakdown in the usual inverse correlation suggests that markets are shifting focus away from currency moves and toward a more dominant driver: central bank policy risk. This week’s lineup of major central bank meetings has effectively frozen conviction. With the Fed, ECB, and BoE all set to speak, traders are reluctant to take directional bets in precious metals until there…