1. With the singular exception of property stocks, all sectors benefited from heavy demand, almost all leading shares sporting double-figure gains. 2. Among the hot property stocks this year is Marco Polo Developments Ltd., a hotel operator that has diversified into real estate. 3. Arceo said a slew of real-estate developers selling shares last year led to some investors tiring of the property stocks. 4. As a group, benchmark property stocks gained the most after driving the Hang Seng Index to a four-month low on Friday. 5. Banks and property stocks will likely be hurt by rising interest rates and mounting bad debts as the income of borrowers is crimped. 6. Both money managers see a strong future for the sector and said there was no shortage of good property stocks. 7. A chronic problem with new property stocks is disclosure. 8. A fall by Petron Corp. on concern production and sales will decline offset rises by some key property stocks. 9. A trader at W.I. Carr said the brokerage is selling warrants on a basket of property stocks, giving investors the right to swap them for shares. 10. Almost all other property stocks fell on the news and on concern about the increased cost of housing loans. |