Global Real Estate & Economy Brief — 2026-01-29

🌍 At a Glance

• US Fed Funds Rate: 3.72 (as of 2025-12-01)
• US 30Y Mortgage: 6.09 (as of 2026-01-22)
• ECB Policy Rate: 2.0 [FRED:ECBDFR] as of 2026-01-28
• BoE Bank Rate: 3.75 (as of 2025-12-18)

🇺🇸 United States

• Who Decides When a Home Is Safe? A California Bill Says Science, Not Insurers. — A California bill aims to establish health-based standards for smoke contamination assessments post-wildfires, prioritizing science over insurers.
• Vacation Towns Mull Shifting Tax Burden to Second-Home Owners — Massachusetts vacation towns are considering shifting tax burdens to second-home owners, but solutions remain complex.
• A Kitchen With a ‘Grown-Up Feeling’ — Phoebe Hollond's kitchen in her 1860s London home features unique brass cabinet pulls and custom radiator covers for a sophisticated ambiance.

🇪🇺 Europe

• Man arrested after woman, 95, tied up during attempted robbery in Salford — An 80-year-old man was arrested for tying up a 95-year-old woman during an attempted robbery in Salford.
• Keir Starmer to hold talks with Xi to bolster economic ties with China — Keir Starmer is set to meet Xi Jinping to strengthen economic ties with China amid concerns over the US alliance.
• Assisted dying backers could use archaic procedure to bypass ‘undemocratic’ block by peers — MPs supporting assisted dying may invoke the 1911 Parliament Act to bypass the House of Lords' block on the bill.

🌏 Asia

• US Fed holds interest rates and defends independence — The US Fed maintains interest rates, with two officials advocating for a cut amid independence concerns.
• Starbucks scraps $250,000 cap on boss's use of company jet — Starbucks removes the $250,000 limit on CEO Brian Niccol's jet usage following media scrutiny and security threats.
• Amazon confirms 16,000 job cuts after accidental email — Amazon acknowledges 16,000 job cuts after mistakenly revealing the layoffs in an email to employees.

🎯 GPT Strategy

🇺🇸 United States

• **Positioning Idea**: Invest in REITs focused on California properties to capitalize on increased demand for smoke-contaminated assessments.
• **Risk Note**: Regulatory changes may impact property values.
• **Positioning Idea**: Consider ETFs targeting vacation rental markets in Massachusetts, as tax shifts may create opportunities for affordable housing solutions.

🇪🇺 Europe

• **Positioning Idea:** Consider investing in UK healthcare REITs to capitalize on increasing demand for assisted living facilities.
• **Risk Note:** Regulatory changes could impact operational frameworks.
• **Positioning Idea:** Explore ETFs focused on European infrastructure to benefit from potential economic ties with China.

🌏 Asia

• **Position in REITs focused on essential services**: As interest rates stabilize, consider REITs in healthcare and grocery sectors for steady income. Risk: Economic downturn could impact tenant performance.
• **Invest in consumer staples ETFs**: With job cuts at major firms, consumer staples may provide resilience. Risk: Inflationary pressures could squeeze margins.
• **Hedge with bond ETFs**: As Fed officials hint at potential rate cuts, bond ETFs may offer protection against market volatility. Risk: Rising inflation could erode bond returns.

Not financial advice. Educational insights only.