Alternative investments

Space-strapped cities like New York and San Francisco may think they have it rough, but the booming Hong Kong may have an even more immediate problem.

More than 7 million people live in the 427 square mile autonomous region of the People’s Republic of China. Country parks take up 41 percent of the land mass, all of which is dotted by steep hills, making it difficult to build anywhere. Many high rises have maxed out on height restrictions. Meanwhile, housing prices hit record highs this spring: Hong Kongers are paying nearly $1,500 per square foot. The average home costs $1.8 million.

After a two-year slump, global auction sales have rebounded, increasing by 25 percent in 2017, according to a new report from Art Tactic. The London-based art market analyst surveyed 2017 sales data (excluding online auctions) from Christie’s, Sotheby’s, and Phillips.

Brussels, Belgium – Euronext Brussels awarded the best performing listed companies and its’ members during the New Year’s reception. The Small, Medium and Large cap winners are: Deceuninck (DECB), argenx (ARGX), Umicore (UMI). The past year 2017 was a rather special year for the Exchange as it was able to reach the historical record in number of transactions.

The uncertainties of the monetary system mean that bitcoins and cryptocurrencies will be used increasingly in the future, especially once the regulatory bodies have found a way to eradicate anonymity, charging the exchanges with anti-money laundering responsibility.

Chinese factory workers producing toys for major brands like Mattel, Hasbro, and Disney continue to work in grueling conditions, according to a recently published report by the nonprofit China Labor Watch, in collaboration with NGO Solidar Suisse.

Some workers have committed suicide amid work pressure, the report said. While China Labor Watch was investigating the Early Light Toy Factory in Shaoguan City, Guangdong Province, which manufactures toys, clothing, and travel accessories for major brands like Big Lots, Hasbro, Mattel, Costco, and Wal-Mart, two workers jumped from buildings. The organization reports the case of Yang Zongfang, 38, who was fired after violating a factory rule forbidding workers from allowing other people to use their entry card, and Lin Jinhua, 34, who tried to end his life after verbal abuse by a manager.

Excessive use of smartphones creates an imbalance in the brain chemistry of teenagers and young adults, according to a study. A recent Pew Research Center study found that 46% of Americans said that they cannot live without their smartphones, Science Daily reports. More and more people are becoming dependent on their smartphones and other gadgets for information, news, communication, games and such.

Hong Kong has retained the title of the world’s most visited city for the eighth consecutive year in Euromonitor International’s latest Top 100 City Destinations Ranking 2017 Edition. Unveiled on Tuesday at World Travel Market London, the report puts Bangkok in second place and London in third spot, and stresses the pivotal impact of the inexorable rise of Chinese outbound tourism.

Two separate house price surveys published Monday, report a further decline in London property prices in September and October. According to the monthly house price index from Acadata and LSL Property Services, the average house price in England and Wales fell 0.1% on the month and rose 1.3% on the year, in September. However, excluding London and the south east, annual house price inflation was 3.3% higher.