- Hong Kong's new five-year plan promises 196,000 public housing units and fast-tracks the Northern Metropolis to ease the housing crunch and create jobs.
- The city aims to cement its financial hub role — launching a gold central clearing system by 2027, rolling out CBDC settlement this year, and boosting offshore renminbi and dual listings.
- Emphasis on deeper tech ties with the mainland (AI, robotics, microelectronics) and family-friendly measures — extended baby bonuses, child allowances and more childcare centers.
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- The quirky Grade II‑listed "Ugly House" (Tŷ Hyll) tearoom in Snowdonia — a favourite with locals and tourists — is going to auction (guide price £199,000), and the manager says she's "heartbroken" and fears it could become private.
- The Snowdonia Society is selling the cottage to reinvest proceeds into Eryri's landscape, wildlife and people, and says it would encourage whoever buys it to keep it visitor‑friendly; the auction is set for 23 September.
- Locals are upset — a petition with 850+ signatures urges a pause and community alternatives, with many citing the house's folklore ties (tŷ unnos) and its sentimental value.
- Mortgage rates rose for a third straight week — the 30-year fixed averaged 6.76%, the highest in over 14 months.
- Higher rates can add hundreds to monthly payments, cutting buyers’ purchasing power and keeping home sales largely flat.
- The rise is tied to higher 10‑year Treasury yields amid inflation worries and geopolitical tensions (U.S.-Iran war affecting oil); markets put about a 70% chance the Fed will hike next week.
- U.S. existing home sales dipped to about a 4 million annual pace in August (a 2% monthly drop), the third straight decline and the slowest in over a year.
- Mortgage rates have climbed — the 30-year hovered around 6.7% and could near 7% — driven by higher Treasury yields and geopolitical/inflation worries, making buying tougher.
- Even as sales slow, the median home price hit a record August high of $429,100, while inventory ticked up to 1.62 million (a 4.9-month supply), the loftiest level in over a decade.
- 30-year mortgage rates climbed to 6.85%, the highest in over 14 months, making home loans and refinancing more expensive.
- Escalating Middle East tensions pushed oil and inflation worries higher, lifting Treasury yields (also pressured by rising federal debt and heavy corporate demand for capital).
- Refinancing and mortgage applications fell, and traders are watching this week’s PPI/CPI reports and the Fed meeting for clues on whether rates will move higher or cool off.
- A roughly 30ft-wide sinkhole opened outside Nicolas Cage's Malibu home after heavy rain, swallowing much of the driveway.
- No injuries reported and a gas leak was secured, but officials have declared several nearby homes unsafe and limited emergency access.
- The collapse is linked to storm-driven coastal flooding and high waves — photos show waves lapping into the crater, making for dramatic visuals.
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