Saudi Arabia's construction cost index increased 2.6% year over year in May, following a 2.4% rise in the previous month, according to data from the General Authority for Statistics released Monday.
The latest increase was largely attributed to higher construction costs in the residential and non-residential sectors.
On a monthly basis, construction costs in the kingdom were 0.2% higher, against the prior 0.5% increase.
Credit card spending in New Zealand increased by 1.8% month on month to NZ$4.38 billion in May after a 0.2% decrease in the previous month, while credit card balances rose 0.7% to NZ$5.99 billion in May, data from the Reserve Bank of New Zealand showed Monday.Domestic billings on New Zealand-issued cards rose by 1.9% to NZ$3.87 billion in May, following a 1.1% decrease in the previous month. Billings on overseas-issued cards fell to NZ$514 million from NZ$598 million.Compared with the year-earlier period, credit card spending rose 5.1% in May after a 1.9% increase a year ago.
Residential and commercial property transactions in Taiwan hit a nine-year low in 2025, slipping over 25% year on year, driven by some credit controls launched by the central bank, according to data released by the Ministry of the Interior (MOI) on Saturday.The transactions of homes, offices, and shops in 2025 fell to 261,308 units, from a peak of 351,000 in 2024, the data showed.The number of first-time property registrations hit a new high of 176,690 units in 10 years on the back of an increase in construction permits issued and home construction starts, the statement said.
The People's Bank of China (PBOC) kept its benchmark lending rates steady at its monthly fixing on Monday, matching the consensus forecast tracked by Investing.com.The one-year loan prime rate (LPR), which serves as the benchmark for most corporate and household loans, was held at 3.00%.Meanwhile, the five-year LPR, the reference rate for residential mortgages, was maintained at 3.50%.