The real estate markets in Asia are ready for another busy year and Japanese fund-manager Yoshiaki Murakami has been indicted for breaking share trading laws.

Credit ratings agency Standard and Poor's says growing urbanization and the development of real estate investment trusts, or REITS, will drive Asia's long-term property market.  John Bailey, the company's managing director in Hong Kong, says property markets in the region attracted a lot of investor interest in 2005.

According to  Murakami , long-term prospects remain rosy as Asian economies are expected to continue their rapid growth. "Growth patterns can be temporarily derailed by political risks. Japan's best-known fund-manager, Yoshiaki Murakami, was indicted for insider trading. Prosecutors said Murakami obtained advance knowledge of Internet giant Livedoor's plan to buy a stake in Nippon Broadcasting System.

McDonald's is cashing in on the fast-growing car ownership in China. The U.S. fast-food giant announced a partnership with China's largest gasoline station operator Sinopec to start a chain of drive-through outlets.

Currently, McDonald's operates 760 restaurants in China, but only three are drive-through. Singapore and China have signed a memorandum of understanding to step up bilateral economic, trade and investment ties. The M.O.U. also covers health care, information technology and transport.

By M. Sese
http://realestatepress.org