Home view
New-home construction increased in August to a 765,000 annual rate, the fastest in almost four years, according to the median forecast in a Bloomberg survey before reports due out this week.
Bulls move
Bullish commodity wagers rose to a 16-month high, as hedge funds and other speculators lifted their net-long positions across 18 US futures and options by 0.3 percent to 1.33 million contracts in the week ended Sept. 11.
QE III to HK
Hong Kong has widened efforts to cool home prices that have gained almost 90 percent since early 2009, as the US Federal Reserve’s third round of quantitative easing risks fueling asset bubbles in the city.
Rich richer
The 40 richest people on Earth added a combined $29 billion to their collective net worth this week as global stocks soared. The biggest gainer was Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, up $2.2 billion.
Greece grief
Greece’s international creditors no longer believe Athens can achieve its financial objectives, Germany’s Handelsblatt said.