The Bank of Spain is investigating a rash of complaints from property investors that some lenders are developers are breaching consumer protection laws by stalling or refusing to honour guarantees for staged off-plan payments.

More bad news for the Spanish property market is expected in the next few days as the bigger listed developers publish their half year results.

Developers and banks in Spain are teaming up to offer discounted new build properties in a bid to kick start the country's ailing property market.

A decision by international investment bank JPMorgan to invest more than $1 billion in Asian real estate over the next three years is set to boost a struggling market.

Property brokers and investment bankers in Europe are tightening their belts as major job losses are predicted a year after the credit crunch started.

Russian banks need to tighten their risk management to avoid the credit crunch in which global banks have so far declared more than $160 billion in mortgage related losses, finance experts are warning.

Mortgage providers in the UK are coming under pressure to change as the lack of choice currently available for property buyers is seen as one reason contributing to the slowdown in the market.

The real estate market in Vietnam is slowing as rising interest rates and banks cutting lending opportunities begins to affect activity.

Representatives of large institutions and even lone investors are standing outside US courthouses every morning and snapping up foreclosed property bargains as banks accept 'silly' offers.

The Spanish government has rejected calls to use public funds to jump start the ailing Spanish property market and bail out struggling developers and real estate agents.

UK property investors may be worried about the availability of funds as the banks and mainstream lenders continue their squeeze, but there are plenty of other sources of finance, according to an independent finance broker.

Astute property investors in the UK with cash reserves could find 2008 one of the most profitable years ever, according to a respected property author.

Though some European countries are experiencing growth, recent house-price figures indicate that, as in the U.S., things in Europe are slowing down.

Real estate company Labaro became the latest victim of Spain's property sector slowdown when it filed for protection against its creditors this week, joining several other companies that have gone into administration last week.

Real Estate agents in India hope restrictions on foreign investment will be lifted sooner rather than later. They are lobbying for change.

The Bush Administration allows Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to take on more mortgages.

Las Vegas property is hurting in several ways including casinos entering foreclosures and housing projects falling through.

The slowing global economy is forcing several real estate companies to restructure.

Purchasing properties in Bulgaria for holiday homes is becoming more difficult to finance.

In an effort to solve housing shortages, the Abu Dhabi government is ramped up their building construction. They now expect to have 200 buildings constructed by 2009. The buildings will be under the purview of the Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank.

Australian central bank increases their benchmark lending rate again. Union says that Australian homeowners are struggling and a rate increase will further hurt them.

While Romania's central bank fights inflation, the country looks like a prime location for property investors from UK frustrated with economic problems elsewhere.

Shangri-la Hotels in Malaysia has posted a 117.6% profit gain in 2007, primarily on the backs of two buildings in Kuala Lumpur that have been doing well for them. Additionally, Malaysia’s Mah Sing property development firm has increased their profit by a more modest but still extremely encouraging 24%.

The value of property in the Czech Republic increased mildly in the last year.

A new plan to help those with home values that have fallen lower than amounts owed on them is being studied by the US Treasury.

Policy created by the Vietnamese Central Bank was what caused the initial boom in the property markets. Now, with cities like Hanoi seemingly changing on a daily basis, Vietnamese officials are seeking a stabilizing influence on the property market. It may be that the newest central bank policy is the way to get that done.

Property investors in New Zealand are pulling out more now than ever. Furthermore, the central bank plans to level high rates until at least the middle of 2008.

More demand from domestic sources could be hitting the Middle East property market very soon.

A new federal government home loan plan in Australia is put in place to save borrowers money over the years of their loan; Banks told they must participate.

Australia banks want to increase home loan rates ahead of Central Bank while home building approvals fall, showing more signs of the struggling property market here.

After posting very impressive gains in 2007, Amlak is looking for 2008 to be even bigger and better.

After a long rise, it appears that for the moment interest rates in South Africa are going to stay put.

People that are investing in Asian property markets as a way to guard against crashes back home should be very careful before doing so.

The European Central Bank is unlikely to cut interest rates, though investors hope for them. Garganas says inflation is too high of a concern here.

While the IMF cuts growth on global scale, and US Fed Reserve cuts rates again, the Central Bank here in Australia is unlikely to move based on those factors.

The US Federal Reserve cut interest rates to just 3 per cent, in the hope of keeping the US Economy from falling into recession.

Eastern European countries will likely be hit by the global economic slowdown and the credit crunch, even though much of the area is seeing incredible growth in the property markets.

While inflation concerns are on the minds of the central bank here, Romania's property is likely to see significant growth in the next year.

Turmoil in world markets not as important as handling record 16 year fastest inflation acceleration in Australia.

Mexican inflation was less than expected, but inflation pressures are on central bank to make a rate cut in hopes of protecting Mexico's economy.

The ECB has said it will not cut interest rates, even though some investors hope for it. Leaders say it's just not a good thing.

Although there may be a need to further interest rate cuts here, the Canadian Finance Minister says the economy is still strong.

While attention shifts to the real estate market domestically in Vietnam, foreign investment is also set to increase.

Although many economists believe that a cut by the ECB would boost worrisome economies here, though inflation concerns abound.

In yet another example of the white hot Middle Eastern property market, a company has posted huge profit margins.

As a way of safeguarding the country from the likely recession in the US, it is likely that the Bank of Canada will cut key interest rates today when it meets.