WEALTH

AUTOS

2016 Lexus IS200t: The Entry-Level Lexus IS Gets a Much-Needed Power Boost

-After two years of selling the current-generation IS sedan with a strange, underpowered 2.5-liter V-6 engine (in addition to the optional and way better 3.5-liter V-6), Lexus has wised up and replaced the base engine with a new, turbocharged four-cylinder from the NX200t. The newly created IS200t brings Lexus’s IS lineup in line with pretty much every single one of its competitors, from the Cadillac ATS to BMW’s 3-series to the

RIP Heavy D: Our Icelandic Ode to the Land Rover Defender

– Only in a place where the locals live in the shadow of volcanoes and eat sheep heads can you drive off the Hertz lot in a Land Rover Defender. In Iceland, renting a Defender is a deliberate choice. There’s no getting stuck with an “or similar.” The alternative is another Defender, lifted on 38-inch snow tires. Completely normal here. – With Britain’s most storied and soon-to-be-discontinued SUV but a

REAL ESTATE

GE to sell real estate holdings, sets $50 billion share buyback

(Reuters) – General Electric Co said it would sell nearly all of its real estate portfolio to investors including Blackstone Group and Wells Fargo & Co for $26.5 billion. The company also said its board had authorized a share repurchase program of up to $50 billion. The deal is the biggest commercial real estate deal since Blackstone’s acquisition of office landlord Equity Office Properties Trust in 2007 for $39 billion,

Kenya's Home Afrika says 2014 profit to fall by a quarter

Kenyan property developer Home Afrika Ltd said on Friday its 2014 profit would be at least 25 percent lower than the previous year, hurt by a delay in developing its infrastructure projects during the year. The firm however said it expected improved performance in the second half of this year, buoyed by revenues from new roads and development of its flagship commercial and residential real estate project in Kiambu County,

Real estate scion Durst pleads not guilty to Louisiana gun charges

By Jonathan Kaminsky NEW ORLEANS (Reuters) – Real estate scion Robert Durst pleaded not guilty on Thursday in Louisiana state court to firearms charges, as prospects for his swift extradition to California to face a murder charge appeared increasingly remote. Prosecutors in California have been seeking Durst’s return to Los Angeles County, where he stands accused of the 2000 slaying of a longtime friend, Susan Berman, in a case recently

Canada says private economists see 2015 growth of around 2 percent

OTTAWA (Reuters) – Private sector economists estimate that Canada’s economy will grow at about 2 percent this year and will pick up after that, Finance Minister Joe Oliver said on Thursday. Oliver also told reporters the government was closely watching the booming residential real estate market and would take action to calm it down “if necessary.” (Reporting by Leah Schnurr, David Ljunggren; Editing by Ted Botha)

Canada says private economists see 2015 growth of around 2 percent

OTTAWA (Reuters) – Private sector economists estimate that Canada’s economy will grow at about 2 percent this year and will pick up after that, Finance Minister Joe Oliver said on Thursday. Oliver also told reporters the government was closely watching the booming residential real estate market and would take action to calm it down “if necessary.” (Reporting by Leah Schnurr, David Ljunggren; Editing by Ted Botha)

LUXURY

Dom Pérignon opens atelier doors to experience heritage, tastings

Dom Pérignon promotional image LVMH-owned Champagne maker Dom Pérignon is inviting consumers to walk along the vineyard path of monk Dom Pierre Pérignon through a tasting experience at its French spirits atelier. Atelier Dom Pérignon is a new program offered by the Champagne house that invites consumers to The Abbey of Saint-Pierre d’Hautvillers in the heart of the Champagne region of France. Inviting consumers into the “ancestral” home of a

Dom Pérignon opens atelier doors to experience heritage, tastings

Dom Pérignon promotional image LVMH-owned Champagne maker Dom Pérignon is inviting consumers to walk along the vineyard path of monk Dom Pierre Pérignon through a tasting experience at its French spirits atelier. Atelier Dom Pérignon is a new program offered by the Champagne house that invites consumers to The Abbey of Saint-Pierre d’Hautvillers in the heart of the Champagne region of France. Inviting consumers into the “ancestral” home of a

Michael Kors spurs consumers to shop early for Mother’s Day

Michael Kors Mother’s Day ad on The Cut U.S. fashion label Michael Kors is reminding readers of New York magazine’s The Cut of their Mother’s Day obligations through a mobile advertisement. The straightforward ad invites readers to shop for sales on the brand’s mobile-optimized Web site. Mother’s Day, like many holidays, tends to approach unnoticed for many consumers, resulting in frantic last-minute shopping, so the mobile ad will likely be

Michael Kors spurs consumers to shop early for Mother’s Day

Michael Kors Mother’s Day ad on The Cut U.S. fashion label Michael Kors is reminding readers of New York magazine’s The Cut of their Mother’s Day obligations through a mobile advertisement. The straightforward ad invites readers to shop for sales on the brand’s mobile-optimized Web site. Mother’s Day, like many holidays, tends to approach unnoticed for many consumers, resulting in frantic last-minute shopping, so the mobile ad will likely be

Integral House enters real estate market with brand alliances

Steinway and Sons in the Integral House Sotheby’s International Realty Canada has teamed with several luxury brands to present Toronto’s famed Integral House to potential buyers. The Integral House celebrates architecture, music and performance and is constructed in the shape of an integral mathematics symbol. Brands such as BMW, Steinway & Sons and other have joined Sotheby’s in the presentation of the property that includes architecture, math and art to create