Of Interest
you are currently viewing:How Do Interest Rates Impact the Real Estate Market?February 14, 2026--Real estate performance has historically strengthened during periods of falling interest rates. Interest rates play a central role in real estate returns. When borrowing costs fall, real estate investment trusts (REITs) often see improved performance as financing becomes cheaper and income-producing assets become more attractive relative to fixed income. Source: visualcapitalist.com |
Ranked: The World's 50 Largest Economies, Including U.S. States
February 20, 2026--19 U.S. states rank among the world's 50 largest economies in 2025.
California ($4.30T) is now the world's 4th-largest economy, ahead of Japan and India.
Texas ($2.94T) is larger than Italy and Russia; Florida's economy is bigger than Australia's.
Ranked: EV Share of New Car Sales by Country in 2025
February 13, 2026--Norway leads the world, with EVs making up an estimated 97% of new car sales in 2025.
China is the largest EV market by volume, with over 13 million EV sales estimated for 2025.
China's carbon emissions may have reached a critical turning point sooner than expected
February 12, 2026--The carbon emissions of the world's biggest greenhouse gas emitter have plateaued for nearly two years.
Carbon dioxide emissions from China have flatlined or fallen for 21 months, meaning the world's biggest greenhouse gas emitter may have reached a global turning point sooner than expected.
The Role Of Finance In Addressing Sustainable Development
February 12, 2026--The Z/Yen Group today released a publication titled "The Role of Finance in Addressing Sustainable Development" as commissioned by the Financial Services Development Council (FSDC).
The global financial system is evolving from a passive allocator of capital to an active force shaping growth pathways that foster resilience and inclusion. Global financing for sustainable development rose by 22% to USD 5.2 trillion between 2015 and 2024.1
Corruption Perceptions Index 2025: Decline in leadership undermining global fight against corruption
January 10, 2026-At a time of massive Gen Z-led protests against corruption and a dangerous disregard for international norms by some governments, the 31st edition of Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index reveals a concerning picture of long-term decline in leadership to tackle corruption, alongside limited signs of progress
5 Things to Know About GEMs
February 9, 2026--The Global Emerging Markets Risk Database (GEMs) Consortium is a joint initiative of 29 multilateral development banks and development finance institutions that pools 40 years of credit risk data on their lending operations in emerging markets.
It provides the related statistics at no cost to members and to the public at gemsriskdatabase.org and on other platforms like Bloomberg and Data360.
Mapped: Which Countries Rely Most on Imports
February 4, 2026-Key Takeaways
Globally, imported goods and services are equal to 28% of GDP.
Despite importing $3.4 trillion of goods, the U.S. has one of the lowest import-to-GDP ratios because of its massive and diverse economy.
FSB warns of financial stability challenges in repo markets
February 4, 2026-Repo markets are critical to the functioning of the global financial system and have been involved in several recent episodes of stress, including the March 2020 dash for cash and September 2022 gilt market episode.
Report warns that leverage, demand and supply imbalances, and high levels of concentration within repo markets have the potential to create strains.
The WFE creates Listing Stringency Index that enables comparison of markets
February 4, 2026-The World Federation of Exchanges, the global industry association for exchanges and CCPs, has published a paper introducing its Listing Stringency Index (LSI), a standardised framework that can be used to analyse the relative stringency of listing regimes and make informed decisions.
Mapped: Which Countries Are Expected to Grow the Most in 2026?
January 27, 2026--Key Takeaways
Guyana is forecast to see 23% real GDP growth in 2026, the highest rate globally, supported by a massive oil boom.
Global real GDP growth is projected to be 3.1% in 2026, slightly lower than the 3.2% forecast for 2025.
