European real estate investment hits lowest H1 level since 2013

The countdown to the Mortgage Strategy Specialist Lending Awards 2026, in partnership with Black & White Bridging is well and truly on. In just a few weeks, the specialist lending community will come together at The Belfry Hotel & Resort for an evening dedicated to recognising excellence, celebrating success and connecting with the people shaping…

Ant International’s Alipay+ said last week that it has added Hang Seng Bank as its first banking partner in Hong Kong, extending a network that already spans more than 50 digital wallets and financial institutions. The unified wallet gateway is said to be accepted in over 220 markets globally and lets banks offer cross-border payment…

Office-to-residential conversions haven’t fallen out of favor with the mayor. Buckling columns at the former Pfizer headquarters in Midtown weren’t enough to deter the mayor’s pursuit of office-to-residential conversions as part of his broader housing plan for 200,000 units over the next decade. The risky situation at 235 East 42nd Street on Tuesday was partially…

The sale comes as private equity groups continue to pursue independent wealth management firms. Credit: Piotr Swat/Shutterstock.com Carlyle and Bain Capital are in contention to acquire Wealth Enhancement in a deal that could value the wealth management platform at about $7bn including debt, the Financial Times has reported. Wealth Enhancement oversees nearly $160bn in client…

US House to vote on bill to make daylight saving time permanent

A monster wildfire engulfing parts of France’s Bordeaux region has claimed hundreds and thousands of acres of land and forced one of the largest evacuations in the country. The fire began in the Southwest of France in Gironde last Wednesday and has burned nearly 104,000 acres in France, and around 190,000 acres in the Avila…