Global themes - Real estate and retail property doing well despite volatility

Volatility has been the prevailing theme of 2008, and investors can be excused for feeling a little nauseous from the repeated shifts in market sentiment. The US economy is in recession, but opinion varies as to how long and deep it will be. The true economic effect on Europe and Asia varies from country to country, but sentiment is generally negative. Nevertheless, there are several economies that are likely to thrive despite a slowdown in the US, most notably the Bric countries. For real estate companies, it is generally 'business as usual', in terms of collecting and even increasing ...