Global Real Estate & Economy Brief — 2025-12-24

🌍 At a Glance

• US Fed Funds Rate: 3.88 (as of 2025-11-01)
• US 30Y Mortgage: 6.21 (as of 2025-12-18)
• ECB Policy Rate: 2.0 [FRED:ECBDFR] as of 2025-12-23
• BoE Bank Rate: 3.75 (as of 2025-12-18)

🇺🇸 United States

• Tuck Yourself In at Night. Then Tuck Your Bed In for the Day. — Designers maximized a 215-square-foot Milan apartment by creating a bed that rolls under kitchen cabinets, freeing space for living and dining.
• U.S. Housing Discrimination Complaints Rise as Support Network Thins — U.S. housing discrimination complaints have surged nearly 20% since 2014, highlighting a weakening support network for fair housing enforcement.
• Making Austin Home Meant Adding Modern Touches to a 1940s House — Artist Paula Cox remodeled her 1940s Austin home with modern touches, inspired by an architectural tour, to be closer to her grandchildren.

🇪🇺 Europe

• Thousands in Hastings could face Christmas with no water after mains pipe bursts — Thousands in Hastings may lose water supply starting Christmas Eve due to a burst mains pipe, warns Southern Water.
• Epstein files appear to show Andrew asking Ghislaine Maxwell for ‘inappropriate friends’ — Epstein files reveal Prince Andrew sought Ghislaine Maxwell's help to meet "inappropriate friends," raising new questions about his connections.
• Gibraltar’s chief minister made ‘sinister’ interventions to protect friend from police — Gibraltar's chief minister, Fabian Picardo, was found to have made "grossly improper" interventions to shield a friend from police scrutiny.

🌏 Asia

• US economy grows at fastest pace in two years — Strong consumer spending drives the US economy's fastest growth in two years, surpassing expectations.
• Government waters down inheritance tax plan for farms — The government increases the inheritance tax threshold for farms from £1m to £2.5m.
• Bet365 boss pay package rises to £280m — Bet365's Denise Coates sees her pay package rise to £280m, maintaining her status as a top-paid executive in Britain.

🎯 GPT Strategy

🇺🇸 United States

• **Positioning Idea:** Invest in small-space living solutions REITs or ETFs, capitalizing on the trend of maximizing urban living spaces.
• **Risk Note:** Economic downturns may reduce demand for premium small-space developments.
• **Positioning Idea:** Consider socially responsible real estate funds focusing on fair housing initiatives to address rising discrimination complaints.

🇪🇺 Europe

• **Positioning Idea:** Consider investing in water utility ETFs to hedge against supply disruptions.
• **Risk Note:** Regulatory scrutiny may impact operational stability.
• **Positioning Idea:** Explore REITs focused on crisis-resilient sectors like healthcare and essential retail amid ongoing scandals affecting public trust.

🌏 Asia

• **Positioning Idea:** Consider investing in consumer discretionary ETFs to capitalize on strong US consumer spending growth.
• **Risk Note:** Economic fluctuations could impact consumer confidence and spending.
• **Positioning Idea:** Explore agricultural REITs to benefit from increased inheritance tax thresholds for farms, potentially boosting land values.

Not financial advice. Educational insights only.