Global Real Estate & Economy Brief — 2026-02-03

🌍 At a Glance

• US Fed Funds Rate: 3.64 (as of 2026-01-01)
• US 30Y Mortgage: 6.1 (as of 2026-01-29)
• ECB Policy Rate: 2.0 [FRED:ECBDFR] as of 2026-02-02
• BoE Bank Rate: 3.75 (as of 2025-12-18)

🇺🇸 United States

• Inside the Wonderfully Cluttered Loft of the Yoda Artist Family — The Yoda family has created art in their expansive Mercer Street loft for 35 years, each pursuing individual artistic inspirations.
• They Went From Renters to Renovators in Los Angeles — Berta and Jon Praeger transformed their rented home in Los Angeles into a renovated masterpiece after purchasing it.
• $1.3 Million Homes in California — Featured this week are $1.3 million homes in California, including a Craftsman in Los Angeles and an Art Deco house in San Francisco.

🇪🇺 Europe

• Met to review reports of alleged misconduct in public office after latest Epstein files release – as it happened — Gordon Brown demands an inquiry into Peter Mandelson's alleged leak of sensitive government information to Jeffrey Epstein.
• Mandelson could face police inquiry over alleged leak to Epstein — Peter Mandelson may face a police investigation for allegedly leaking market-sensitive information to Jeffrey Epstein during the financial crisis.
• Resident doctors in England vote to continue industrial action for another six months — Resident doctors in England have voted to extend their industrial action for another six months amid ongoing disputes with the government.

🌏 Asia

• Warning for sellers amid rollercoaster gold and silver prices — Experts advise caution for sellers considering the volatile gold and silver market.
• Gold and silver prices fall but FTSE 100 hits record high — Despite falling precious metal prices, the FTSE 100 reached a record high amid safe-haven investments.
• Disney warns of hit from flagging foreign visits — Disney reports declining international visits to US parks, attributing it to President Trump's policies.

🎯 GPT Strategy

🇺🇸 United States

• **Positioning Idea:** Consider investing in residential REITs focused on urban markets, as demand for unique homes rises.
• **Risk Note:** Economic downturns may impact rental income.
• **Positioning Idea:** Explore ETFs targeting home renovation and improvement sectors, capitalizing on the trend of homeowners upgrading properties.

🇪🇺 Europe

• **Positioning Idea:** Consider investing in healthcare REITs to capitalize on potential increased demand for medical facilities amid ongoing labor disputes.
• **Risk Note:** Monitor potential regulatory changes affecting healthcare funding.
• **Positioning Idea:** Explore defensive sectors like utilities or consumer staples ETFs, as political instability may drive investors toward safer assets.

🌏 Asia

• **Positioning Idea:** Consider investing in defensive REITs focused on healthcare and residential sectors to hedge against market volatility.
• **Risk Note:** Economic downturns may still impact occupancy rates.
• **Positioning Idea:** Explore ETFs that focus on safe-haven assets, such as utilities and consumer staples, to capitalize on market uncertainty.

Not financial advice. Educational insights only.