Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Wall Street is confronting a fresh source of pressure on US government bonds as the extra compensation investors demand for holding longer-term debt climbs to its highest level in more than a decade. The so-called term premium on 10-year Treasury securities has risen by roughly 40 basis points since mid-September to about 0.98%, according to a model maintained by the Federal Reserve Bank […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Saudi Arabia’s Almarai plans to invest more than $4 billion through 2031 to expand production capacity, diversify its food and beverage portfolio and strengthen its presence across priority markets. The Riyadh-based company unveiled details of its 2026–2031 growth strategy at a capital markets day on Thursday, outlining four priorities covering established businesses, new product categories, emerging distribution channels and geographical expansion. The investment […]
Abu Dhabi has launched a new artificial intelligence training programme targeting 20,000 government employees this year, advancing its Dh13 billion strategy to establish the world’s first fully AI-native government by 2027. The Department of Government Enablement announced the AiNative programme on October 7, partnering with OpenAI, Microsoft and Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence to develop practical AI capabilities across the public sector and eventually among […]
The successful field trial, conducted by QNu Labs, the Bhaskaracharya National Institute for Space Applications and Geo-informatics (BISAG-N) and IIT Gandhinagar, established a quantum communication channel between two facilities in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology announced the achievement on October 3, confirming that the experiment took place overnight on September 27–28. The system generated secure cryptographic keys at 230–260 bits per second while maintaining a quantum bit error rate below five per cent.
The participating institutions also demonstrated successful encryption and decryption of test messages using the generated keys, establishing that the experimental quantum channel could operate alongside conventional communications infrastructure.
The achievement represents India’s first publicly announced free-space quantum key distribution demonstration at this distance. Unlike fibre-based systems, the technology transmits quantum signals through the atmosphere, allowing secure key exchange without a continuous physical cable between communicating locations.
QNu Labs deployed its Armos quantum key distribution equipment alongside a pointing, acquisition and tracking system designed to maintain optical alignment between transmitting and receiving terminals.
The experiment used a 1,550-nanometre optical channel and a differential phase shift decoy protocol. Precise alignment was essential because atmospheric disturbances and small movements can disrupt the transmission of weak quantum signals across extended distances.
The reported error rate provided an important indication of transmission quality, while the secure key generation rate demonstrated the system’s ability to produce cryptographic material for practical encryption applications.
The generated keys were integrated into BISAG-N’s Vedic Kavach platform, which incorporates post-quantum cryptography and quantum random number generation. This arrangement combined hardware-based quantum key distribution with software-based cryptographic protection.
Researchers demonstrated the transmission of 256-bit encryption keys through an interface conforming to the ETSI GS QKD 014 specification, enabling a test message to be encrypted, transmitted and decrypted successfully.
The hybrid architecture is intended to maintain cryptographic protection when the quantum channel becomes temporarily unavailable. Post-quantum cryptography uses mathematical algorithms designed to resist attacks from sufficiently powerful quantum computers, while quantum key distribution relies on the properties of quantum states to reveal potential interception.
The two approaches address different security requirements and can operate together, although neither eliminates every vulnerability associated with communication networks, including compromised devices or implementation weaknesses.
Sunil Gupta, co-founder and chief executive of QNu Labs, said quantum security would become meaningful at scale only when technologies moved beyond controlled laboratories and operated across actual communications infrastructure.
He said the field trial demonstrated that quantum key distribution, supported by precise optical tracking, could function across a multi-kilometre atmospheric link while integrating with a post-quantum security layer.
Vinay Thakur, director-general of BISAG-N, highlighted the integration of Vedic Kavach with quantum key distribution as evidence that complementary security technologies could address evolving protection requirements.
The demonstration also has implications for India’s proposed satellite quantum communication capabilities. Satellite-to-ground systems require quantum signals to pass through atmospheric conditions, making terrestrial free-space experiments useful for evaluating optical transmission and tracking technologies.
However, the Gandhinagar experiment did not establish a satellite connection or demonstrate operational performance across orbital distances. Such applications require additional testing involving moving platforms, longer optical paths and changing atmospheric conditions.
The achievement contributes to technical work associated with India’s National Quantum Mission, which includes developing secure quantum communications and supporting technologies for terrestrial and space applications.
Manish Tripathi, who oversees the Interdisciplinary School of Technology and Future at IIT Gandhinagar, described the experiment as a valuable field environment bringing together academic research, domestic technology development and practical testing.
The participating organisations have not announced a timetable for commercial deployment or a subsequent satellite demonstration based on the trial.
The reported performance figures describe the conditions achieved during the September experiment rather than guaranteed operating rates under different weather conditions or across other locations.
BISAG-N contributed its Vedic Kavach encryption environment, IIT Gandhinagar provided the academic testing setting, and QNu Labs supplied the quantum distribution equipment and optical tracking technology used in the demonstration.
Dubai has launched a redesigned addressing system featuring colour-coded street signs, house number plates and QR codes, with more than 2,000 signs scheduled for installation or replacement this year. The initiative, announced on Wednesday by the Supreme Committee for Urban Planning in coordination with the Roads and Transport Authority and Dubai Municipality, will cover 186 areas across 19 sectors by 2030. The first phase will encompass five […]
The Netherlands’ Tax and Customs Administration has abandoned its planned migration to Microsoft 365 cloud services, opting instead for government-controlled servers and European open-source software following concerns over data security, digital sovereignty and dependence on foreign technology providers. State Secretary for Finance Eelco Eerenberg confirmed the policy reversal in a letter to parliament, outlining a phased replacement programme covering the tax authority, Dutch Customs and the Benefits […]
By R. Suryamurthy Nine years after GST replaced a maze of central and state indirect taxes, the most revealing measure of its success may no longer be the monthly collection number. The harder question is whether India has built a tax system in which the government can distinguish between a taxpayer who is trying to […]
The article GST 3.0 Needs A New Bargain With Taxpayers, A Climate Without Fear appeared first on Latest India news, analysis and reports on Newspack by India Press Agency).
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 5 October 2026 – Global real estate services firm Cushman & Wakefield today held its Hong Kong Property Markets Q3 2026 Review andOutlook press conference. The Hong Kong residential market entered a consolidation phase in Q3 amid a shift in the U.S. Federal Reserve’s interest rate outlook, increased stock market volatility, and tighter cross-border capital controls in the Chinese mainland. Against this backdrop, residential transaction numbers dropped by 40% q-o-q to record around 13,240 cases in Q3, while home prices declined by 0.8% during July and August. In the Grade A office market, the total new leased area for Q3 reached 1.4 million sq ft, the highest quarterly level since 2019, supported by expansion activities from the BFSI sector. Citywide net absorption reached +412,400 sq ft for the quarter, bringing the overall availability rate to trend further downward, while YTD rental growth recorded +6.1%. In the retail sector, total retail sales remained resilient in Q3. The overall high street vacancy rate remained broadly stable during the quarter, chiefly supported by more active leasing commitments in Mongkok. Leasing activity in Hong Kong Island districts moderated somewhat.
Grade A office leasing market:BSFI expansion demand fuels leasing momentum
The Q3 2026 period marked another active quarter for Hong Kong’s Grade A office market. Total new leased area reached 1.4 million sq ft in Q3, the highest quarterly level since 2019. The banking, financial services, and insurance (BFSI) sector, and consumer products / manufacturing sectors, were the key demand drivers, with BFSI occupiers largely expansion-led. Citywide net absorption reached +412,400 sq ft in the quarter. This performance helped pull down the overall availability rate 0.4 percentage point q-o-q to 19.1%. Core district rents continued to outperform non-core areas. Greater Central rents continued to climb by a further 3.0% q-o-q in Q3, while non-core area rental level declines further narrowed. Rents in Hong Kong East and Hong Kong South edged up slightly in Q3. The overall citywide rental level rose by 1.7% q-o-q in Q3, bringing YTD rental growth to +6.1%.
John Siu, Managing Director, Hong Kong, Cushman & Wakefield,said, “Rents in Greater Central grew by 13% YTD, reflecting strong demand for prime offices. However, mid-priced Grade A offices, particularly those with net effective rents of around HK$45-60 psf, are expected to continue facing headwinds, as abundant existing space and forthcoming supply across multiple submarkets within this price range is likely to sustain intense competition.”
Siu added, “Looking ahead, positive market momentum is likely to partly offset the scheduled 1.2 million sq ft of new supply in Q4, keeping the availability rate broadly stable at 19% to 20% at the year-end. With a decelerating supply pipeline beyond 2026, availability may have passed its cyclical peak in 2025, but non-core areas will continue to face absorption pressure. Full-year rental growth in Greater Central is now projected to grow by +12% to +14%, supporting the citywide Grade A office rental level to rise by +5% to +7% in 2026.”
Retail leasing market: Retail sales growth remains resilient, with Mongkok leading high street leasing activities
Hong Kong retail sales growth remained resilient in Q3, driven by growing tourist arrivals and stronger economic fundamentals supporting local consumption sentiment. The city’s overall retail sales for the January to August 2026 period reached HK$266 billion, up 8.5% y-o-y. Among key retail categories, the Jewellery & Watches sector recorded the strongest performance, recording y-o-y sales growth of 22.6%. Other sectors, such as Medicines & Cosmetics (+5.0%) and Fashion & Accessories (+3.2%), recorded more modest low single-digit growth.
The overall high street vacancy rate remained broadly stable at 5.4% in Q3, chiefly supported by more active leasing commitments in Mongkok, with the district’s vacancy rate dropping to 4.8% from 8.6% in Q2. In Tsimshatsui, although the vacancy rate moved up to 9.5%, notable new transactions were also recorded during the quarter. On Hong Kong Island, vacancy rates in Causeway Bay and Central increased in Q3, rising to 5.1% and 1.4%, respectively, after remaining at 0% for two consecutive quarters. With prime retail spaces in both districts fully occupied in previous quarters, leasing activity moderated in Q3.
High street retail rents in both Causeway Bay and Tsimshatsui remained unchanged in the quarter. In Mongkok, stronger leasing momentum supported a 0.4% q-o-q rise in rental levels. As for Tsimshatsui, a slowdown in the luxury segment combined with relatively high vacancy weighed on the district’s rental performance, resulting in a fall of 1.1% q-o-q. In the F&B sector, rents remained under pressure amid high availability, dropping within a 1% range q-o-q across the four key districts.
John Siu commented, “We have observed stronger leasing demand from Japanese, South Korean and Thai brands in recent months. Looking at the first-stores recorded so far this year, approximately 36% originated from Japan, South Korea and Thailand, similar to the share accounted for by Chinese mainland brands, while exceeding the 29% recorded for 2025 full-year. We expect this trend to continue through the remainder of the year. Looking ahead, the Hong Kong retail market is expected to remain supported by resilient local consumption resulting from stronger economic fundamentals, together with greater tourist spending underpinned by a stronger RMB, and a pipeline of planned mega-events. These factors will bring continued momentum to the city’s retail market. We also expect local and non-local retailers to remain selective, with demand focused on well-located retail spaces in core districts offering attractive rental packages. In turn, the city’s retail market is likely to maintain a gradual recovery trajectory. We forecast high street retail rents in Causeway Bay and Central to pick up by 2% to 3% y-o-y in 2026, with Tsimshatsui and Mongkok recording modest rental growth of 1% to 2% y-o-y.”
Residential Market: Home prices consolidate as transaction numbers cool in Q3, rate hikes remain key
The Hong Kong residential market consolidated somewhat in Q3 following the strong momentum recorded in 1H. After the sustained release of purchasing power over the past year, coupled with the shift of the U.S. Federal Reserve rate direction, increased stock market volatility and heightened uncertainties, some prospective buyers reverted to a wait-and-see stance. This resulted in a noticeable slowdown in transaction activity from July onwards. The monthly transaction number, which averaged more than 7,000 cases in Q2, fell back to around 4,000 deals between July and September. A total of 13,242 residential transactions were recorded in Q3, down 40% q-o-q, bringing cumulative transactions to reach 54,052 cases for the first nine months of the year, representing an 18% increase y-o-y.
Edgar Lai, Senior Director, Valuation and Consultancy Services, Hong Kong, Cushman & Wakefield, commented, “Housing price growth momentum decelerated in Q3 2026. Rating and Valuation Department data suggests that the overall residential price index softened by 0.8% in the two months from July to August, yet still achieved 7.0% growth for the first eight months of 2026. Meanwhile, our Cushman & Wakefield mid-and-small size units price index shows that home prices mildly dropped 0.1% q-o-q, yet still registering a cumulative increase of 7.7% year to date. Our tracking of popular housing estates shows that prices softened in Q3 across different market segments. Prices at City One Shatin, representing the mass market, declined by 5.7% q-o-q, while prices at Taikoo Shing, representing the mid-market, dropped by 0.6% q-o-q. Residence Bel-Air, representing the luxury segment, retreated by 3.8% q-o-q. Following the sustained release of purchasing power over the past year, coupled with tighter cross-border capital controls from the Chinese mainland, and the U.S. Fed rate hike of 0.25% in September, our September Verbal Enquiry Index declined by 35% compared with the peak seen in May.”
Rosanna Tang, Deputy Managing Director, Head of Research, Hong Kong, Cushman & Wakefield, added, “The city’s residential market consolidated in Q3, with monthly transactions retreating to around 4,000 cases. The slowdown reflects a more cautious stance among homebuyers amid shifting interest rate expectations and heightened external uncertainties. Looking ahead, the frequency and pace of rate hikes, together with whether local banks will follow suit, will be the key factors affecting homebuyers’ purchasing decisions and affordability. Given the slower pace of transactions in Q3, we have revised our full-year residential transaction forecast to around 67,000 to 68,000 cases.
“As for pricing, should the U.S. Fed rate further increase in Q4, the residential market is expected to remain in a consolidation phase, with 2026 annual home prices likely to fluctuate in a narrow range near +7%. The rental market, however, will be more resilient underpinned by rental demand brought by the inflow of talent, non-local students, and new entrants to the city. With rental growth of 4.9% recorded in the first eight months of the year, we project a 5% to 7% y-o-y increase for the full year of 2026.”
Hashtag: #CWK
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
Cushman & Wakefield (NYSE: CWK) is a leading global commercial real estate services firm for property owners and occupiers with approximately 53,000 employees in nearly 350 offices and 60 countries. In Greater China, a network of 23 offices serves local markets across the region. In 2025, the firm reported revenue of $10.3 billion across its core services of Valuation, Consulting, Project & Development Services, Capital Markets, Project & Occupier Services, Industrial & Logistics, Retail, and others. Built around the belief that Better never settles, the firm receives numerous industry and business accolades for its award-winning culture. For additional information, visit www.cushmanwakefield.com.hk or follow us on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/cushman-&-wakefield-greater-china).
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