CBRE

The article highlights the launch of America’s Workforce Academy, a $115 million program led by Meta, the National Urban League, and others to train skilled workers for AI infrastructure jobs. It emphasizes a labor shortage in construction and the strategic need for plumbers, electricians, and similar workers to build data centers and power facilities, contrasting China’s infrastructure progress.

Meta is investing $115 million in its America's Workforce Academy to train people for skilled trade jobs in AI data center construction. The program covers tuition, travel, lodging, and offers job placement for graduates, focusing on roles like fiber technicians, electricians, and welders. Partners include the National Urban League and Associated Builders and Contractors.

Northwood Investors is selling its Midtown mixed-use Metropolitan complex, which it purchased for $90 million five-and-a-half years ago. CBRE is marketing the property's 342,805-square-foot retail and office components, home to tenants like Trader Joe’s and Best Buy. The sale aligns with growing institutional interest in mixed-use lifestyle centers, according to Chuck McShane of CoStar.

Five Southern states led in economic and population growth in 2025 due to low taxes and business-friendly policies. Companies like JCB moved operations to Georgia and Texas, while firms relocated from high-tax states like California and New York to Republican-led Southern states.

Meta is investing $115 million in a free five-week training program for data center technicians through a partnership with CBRE, the National Urban League, and others. The initiative aims to address the skilled-trades shortage impacting Meta's AI infrastructure, offering guaranteed jobs and industry-recognized credentials to participants with no prior experience required.

Texas and Florida are attracting corporate relocations due to lower taxes and regulations, while California experiences significant corporate losses, according to a CBRE report highlighting economic shifts between red and blue states.

Texas, particularly Dallas-Fort Worth, Austin, and Houston, has attracted 725 corporate headquarters relocations between 2018 and 2025 due to lower taxes and regulations, while Florida's Miami also gained companies. California's San Francisco Bay Area experienced a net loss of 163 headquarters during the same period, attributed to high taxes and living costs.

Student housing and office spaces in China are emerging as top property investment options due to high demand and limited supply for university accommodations. Analysts note rising investor interest in mainland China, Hong Kong, and Australia, driven by sustained demand and market trends.

Student housing in China is emerging as a top property investment due to high demand outpacing supply for university students. Property consultancy CBRE reports increased investor interest in student housing across mainland China, Hong Kong, and Australia.

Asia-Pacific data centres received a record US$11.6 billion in investment in 2025, driven by the AI boom. Hong Kong is positioning itself as a niche player in the data centre market, supported by demand from hyperscale cloud service providers, mainland Chinese technology companies, and financial institutions, though technical limitations may restrict AI-specific applications.

Asia-Pacific data centres attracted a record US$11.6 billion in investment during 2025, driven by the AI boom. Hong Kong's data centre market is supported by hyperscale cloud service providers, mainland Chinese tech and e-commerce companies, and financial institutions, though AI-related demand faces technical limitations in the region.

Hong Kong actors Nick Cheung and William Chan have sold luxury residential properties as part of a broader recovery in the city's high-end real estate market. Cheung sold his Mid-Levels flat at Grenville House for HK$132 million, while luxury property transactions more than doubled in the first quarter compared to the same period in 2025.

Corporate headquarters are relocating from high-tax, heavily regulated Democrat-led states like California and New York to Republican states offering lower costs and lighter regulation, such as Texas and Florida. This trend is driven by companies seeking growth opportunities and lower operating costs. The relocation wave is expected to continue, with Texas emerging as a major beneficiary.

Companies are relocating their headquarters from high-tax, heavily regulated states like California and New York to Republican-led states like Texas and Florida, which offer lower costs and lighter regulation. This trend is driven by the search for growth opportunities and has resulted in a significant number of relocations between 2018 and 2025. The cities of Dallas-Fort Worth, Austin, and Houston in Texas have been major beneficiaries of this relocation wave.