Two for the price of one: What to expect from Moscow property markets and What to expect from 2018 year end valuations

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I promised in my last blog (Decoding the Russian enigma) a further post dealing with my expectations for the Russian property markets. I have also been considering giving my thoughts on what to expect in general terms (i.e. they cannot be held against me in specific valuations!) for 2018 year end valuations. We are approaching […]

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Decoding the Russian enigma

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Russia seems to be hewing ever closer to Churchill’s aphorism: as a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma. It is increasingly difficult to predict what may happen next. A mixture of outside events and curious self-defeating actions, at least from an external perspective, have effects that are extremely uncertain. It may seem then […]

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Russia: New old challenges

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Russia’s nascent economic recovery from the 2014-2016 recession and recent stabilisation have been disrupted by fresh US sanctions. The April round has shifted the USD/RUB exchange rate by about 7% weaker, to c.62. The combined impact of the draft bill introduced by a number of US Senators led by Lindsey Graham on 1 August and […]

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25 or nothing: recent central bank actions

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The global economy went through another round of central bank policy meetings. The US Federal Reserve (Fed) expectedly hiked its policy rate by 25bp to 1.5-1.75%, the European Central Bank (ECB) and the Bank of England (BoE) stayed on hold, while the Bank of Russia (CBR) cut its key rate, also by 25bp, to 7.25%. […]

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Russia: (Even) lower inflation, lower interest rates

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The Bank of Russia (CBR) has just announced the Board decision to cut its key rate by 25bp, from 7.75% to 7.50%. The move was broadly anticipated, although following the January inflation print, some market analysts had called for a 50bp rate cut. Inflation dropped to a new historical low of 2.2% YoY in January […]

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Workplace powered by Human Experience

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Office environments are changing – the way they look and how they are managed. Many organisations have long understood and appreciated the power of workplace in driving productivity, employee loyalty, and brand value. Workplace has become a critical component of what an organisation can offer to its current and prospective employees, shaping attitudes to work […]

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Bitcoin and the blockchain: the inevitable proptech revolution

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  Knowledge of the blockchain was once restricted to a select few members of IT crowd. Whilst the technicalities of the blockchain still remain a mystery to many, there is growing awareness of its implications. Industries of all types, from financial services to manufacturers, from retailers to healthcare, are waking up to its disruption potential. […]

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How law firms can successfully integrate real estate into the M&A process

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Despite the overwhelming business uncertainty created by recent political events, UK law firms reported increasing UK income in 2016 (PwC, 2016). In the new reality of evolving customer demands, rapid technological change, and disruptive business models, law firms are looking to strengthen their positions in the market, broaden expertise, improve client offerings, and increase geographical […]

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Supply Chains & Real Estate – No Longer Disconnected by a Common Language

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A little over a year ago I made my first ever visit across that big pond and immediately upon visiting London, was told to “Mind the gap” by the polite, omnipresent voice on the Piccadilly line. Excuse me? You mean “Watch your step”, right? Utterly confused, I trekked on to JLL’s office for a friendly […]

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Insurers join the race to make the world a better place

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Whichever news outlet you looked at over the Christmas period, one thing dominated… the weather:  From a continual onslaught of flooding in the UK, severe storms and tornadoes in the U.S. to a searing heatwave in Australia. With the recent warning from NASA that the current El Nino weather phenomenon could be as bad as […]

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How real estate strategy can help energy companies navigate through change

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While speculations about the future of oil prices and the industry in general continue to grow, energy companies are thinking about today and the new reality they have to operate in. Albeit positive in the long-term (after all the world energy consumption is projected to increase and technological innovation should gradually drive the production costs […]

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