Morning Briefing: Commercial real estate becoming a more popular investment path

The popularity of commercial real estate is set to grow ... Aussie drops after longest rally since ’09 as China imports dive...

Commercial real estate becoming a more popular investment path
The popularity of commercial real estate is set to grow as an increasing number of people look to the sector as a safe investment opportunity, according to one lender.
 
John Kolyvas, national commercial partnership manager at non-major lender ING Direct, said commercial real estate is steadily becoming more popular as the allure of residential investment fades.
 
The lender has also announced new commercial loans of $2 million or more will now have a discounted variable rate of 4.50%, which will apply to eligible applications unconditionally approved from 6 October 2015.
 
“As investment in residential property loses a little of its lustre, commercial property is looking increasingly appealing for its relatively stable growth and solid returns,” Kolyvas said.
 
“Commercial lending has been growing steadily in the past few years and in the current environment this is expected to continue,” he said.
 
Kolyvas isn’t the only person who has noticed more investors considering commercial real estate. MMJ Real Estate Sydney director Chris Johnson believes a number of factors are driving more activity in the sector.
 
“It’s no question that the [commercial real estate] market is hot right now,” Johnson said.
 
“In my opinion it’s a combination of people seeing the higher yields available in commercial property as residential prices rise and also what’s happening on the stock market at the moment as well,” he said.
 
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Aussie drops after longest rally since ’09 as China imports dive
(Bloomberg) -- The Australian dollar fell, halting the longest rally in more than six years, as Chinese trade data added to concern the world’s second-largest economy is slowing.

The Aussie weakened for the the first time in 10 days versus the greenback as an commonly used gauge of momentum signaled the currency’s rally was the most vulnerable to reversal at any time in the past 18 months.

New Zealand’s dollar dropped for the first time in 11 days. China is the major trading partner for both Australia and New Zealand.

“It’s squarely on the Chinese report,” Neil Jones, London- based head of hedge-fund sales at Mizuho Bank Ltd. “There is a strong correlation there and some of the shine has come off the commodities themselves. It’s across the board as far as commodity-based currencies” being hurt.

Australia’s dollar tumbled 1.1 percent to 72.85 U.S. cents as of 7:43 a.m. New York time, after strengthening 5.4 percent during the previous nine days in the longest winning streak since March 2009.

New Zealand’s currency dropped 0.5 percent to 66.82 U.S. cents after surging 6.2 percent since Sept. 28 through Monday.
 
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