Belgium-rose: Belgium-rose - blog*spot

Rose Walker LLP, the litigation law firm, has announced that it will open a new office in Los Angeles. This will be the first office for the firm outside the state of Texas. The new office will be led by partner Michael J. Terhar, with the firm focusing on aviation and aerospace litigtation.
The new office will be located at 2 N. Lake Avenue in Pasadena, California, which used to be occupied by the firm of LaMontagne & Terhar LLP. This firm was co-founded by Terhar but he is leaving in order to take the job with Rose Walker. There are only two lawyers on the staff for the California office of Rose Walker, but there are negotiations ongoing for future hires.

Chris McDowell, a partner with the Dallas firm, said the following:

“We have a lot of clients in aviation and aerospace, and they’ve been asking us to be present in California for a long time … It seemed like the right time and right opportunity to finally do so.”
McDowell also said that the firm’s new office in California might also expand into the practices of intellectual property and commercial litigation. The opening of the firm’s office in California is expected to boost the work done by the firm for the past couple of decades in California.
“Our firm has always worked in California, and we are familiar with the business climate and the courts there. This move gives us a ‘boots-on-the-ground’ component that we didn’t have before, and that’s good for our clients,” Martin Rose, the firm’s founder, said in a statement.

Rose also said that Terhar is the perfect candidate to lead the office in California because of his 30 years of experience in litigation within the state.

“We have known him for his entire legal career and frequently worked together,” Rose said in a statement. “He’s a natural fit for our culture and results-focused practice. I’m thrilled to have him on board.”

Terhar has worked on commercial and private aviation cases, including the 1978 case involving the crash of PSA Flight 182 in a neighborhood in San Diego.

Terhar also has quite a bit of experience representing sports and concert venues in Los Angeles County. Those cases have involved crowd control, security and code violations, personal injury and wrongful death cases that cause injury to stuntmen, cast and crew in Hollywood.

The case history for Terhar is impressive as it includes him defending an aerial stunt coordinator’s role in a helicopter accident during the filming of ‘XXX,’ which was released back in 2002. Terhar also represented John Landis in wrongful death lawsuits related to the filming of ‘Twilight Zone’ back in 1983.

Terhar attended Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, graduating in 1979.

“We grow as our clients’ need dictate. We’re not driven to grow to a certain size by a certain time,” McDowell said.

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Posted by jim on January 9, 2012. Filed under Home,Law Firm News,Rose Walker LLP. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.

Belgium-rose

Statistics Belgium reports that price gains in Belgium are slowing as the country attempts to recover from the effects of the global financial crisis while negotiating the rise of a new coalition government. The country saw price surges as high as 200% in hot spots like Brussels from 1998 to 2008, but high exposure to toxic markets drove these prices down in all three market regions. Like the U.S., Belgium is now dominated by only a few mortgage lenders, the bailout of which eventually led to the collapse of the government in 2008. Now, the resulting turmoil is compromising the country’s housing market recovery. For more on this continue reading the following article from Global Property Guide.

Prices of ‘regular’ houses in Belgium rose by 2.79%, to €184,147, during the year to end-Q2 2011.

• In Brussels, prices of regular houses increased by 1.2% to €338,645.
• In the Flemish region, regular house prices rose 3.71% to €197,415. Flemish Brabant had the most expensive houses, with an average price of €232,192. The cheapest, on the other hand, were in the province of Limburg with an average house price of €174,621.

The trend seems now to be down.  In the second quarter of 2011, prices of regular houses in Belgium dropped by 0.8% q-o-q, according to Statistics Belgium (StatBel).

Belgium’s house price boom from 2000 to H1 2008 was driven by low interest rates and increased competition between banks; and strong economic and wage growth

Total transactions for ‘regular’ houses fell by 2.4% to 15,955 units from a year earlier to Q2 2011, with apartment transactions down 9%.  The property market has been adversely affected by the country’s political troubles. Since the parliamentary election in 2010, Belgium has been in political deadlock.

Belgium’s real GDP grew by 2.5% in Q2 2011, after 3% growth in Q1, according to the National Accounts Institute. In 2010, the economy expanded by 2.1%, according to the IMF.

Brussels prices surge ahead

Belgium is divided into three regions:

• the Flemish Region that occupies the northern half with Dutch-speaking communities;
• the Walloon Region which occupies the southern-half and is made-up largely of French-speaking communities with a small German-speaking community in the south-east; and
• Brussels, the administrative capital region, an officially tri-lingual city inside the Flemish region.

Each region and community has a separate parliament and executive administration. Power has been increasingly devolved. There is also a persisting ethnic conflict, and the political union has come under rising threat.

Property prices in Belgium’s three regions move in the same price cycle, but the capital has registered much the highest price increases. Prices in Brussels surged almost 200% (140% in real terms) from 1998 to 2008, much more than in the two other regions (143% for the Flemish region and 116% in Walloon) over the same period, according to StatBel.

Prices also fell most in Brussels during 2009, though the falls were relatively insignificant. The average price of ordinary houses in Brussels decreased 1.9% in 2009; more than the 0.9% price fall for Walloon, and worse than the 1% nominal increase in the Flemish region. When adjusted for inflation, houses prices fell in all areas.

The drivers of Belgium’s house price boom were:

• rapid mortgage market expansion due to low interest rates and increased competition between banks; and
• relatively strong economic and wage growth.

When these conditions were reversed with the global credit crunch, house price rises stopped. But now the economic recovery, helped by low interest rates, is causing house prices to rise strongly again.

Record low mortgage rates

Mortgage rates moved down in March 2009 to 2.84% for floating rate mortgages and 4.16% for new mortgages with 10-year interest rate fixation (IRF), in line with the historically rock-bottom levels seen in 2005.

Interest rates recently peaked at 5.33% in October 2008 (for new mortgages with 10-year interest rate fixation (IRF), while those with floating rate and up to 1year IRF peaked at 6.02%.

Mortgage growth and stability

The Belgian mortgage market has been dominated by four major private financial institutions: Fortis, Dexia, KBC, and ING Belgium since a wave of privatization, mergers and acquisition in the 1990s. All four have interests spread across the financial industry including investment management, retail banking and insurance. Intense competition has led to low fees and charges, and more mortgage options.

Despite the credit crunch, the mortgage market grew 9% in 2008 and 7.5% in 2009. In Q1 2010, outstanding mortgage credit rose to €147.6 billion, 8.5% higher than a year earlier.

Fixed-rate mortgages dominate

Mortgages in Belgium typically have a 20 year duration, and a loan-to-value ratio of 80% to 85%. Since 2008, more than 80% of new loans have had interest rates fixed for the duration of the loan, or for ten years or more.

However, the sensitivity of households to interest rate changes has changed over the years. At the end of 2002, less than 20% of new mortgage contracts had an IRF of less than three years. Between 2003 and 2005, borrowers shifted to mortgages with shorter IRFs with interest rates typically one percentage point or more lower than fixed rate mortgages (FRM). The share of mortgages with IRF of less than 3 years rose to almost 60% at end-2004.

With the interest rate hikes from 2006 to 2008, households shifted to longer term FRMs. The share of mortgages with IRF of 3 years or less shrank to around 1% to 2% of total loans in 2007 and 2008.

Bank bailouts everywhere

Belgian financial institutions were among the worst hit by the 2008 financial meltdown. Losses from international operations, exposure to the US subprime mortgage markets, and commitments to previous expansion programs led to massive liquidity problems.

For instance, Fortis, the largest mortgage lender in Belgium, was cash-strapped after paying €24 billion for participation in the €70 billion purchase of ABN Amro in 2007. To prevent Fortis collapsing, it was partly nationalized by the governments of Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg to the tune of €11.2 billion.

With assets bigger than the Belgian economy, Fortis is one of the biggest European banks bailed out in 2008. After the bailout, Fortis was carved up and sold, with only the insurance operations left. Its Belgian assets and operations were sold to BNP Paribas, after a lengthy and messy judicial process.

Dexia and KBC were likewise bailed out, after suffering major losses.

• The bailout of KBC Bank, which has major operations in Eastern Europe, was one of the most expensive. A total of €7 billion was injected into KBC, and on May 2009 the government announced that it is providing a guarantee of €25 billion to KBC Bank.
• The governments of France, Belgium and Luxembourg provided €6.4 billion to keep Dexia afloat.

In July 2010, Dexia and KBC Bank passed the EU-wide stress tests.

While the bailouts prevented a financial market collapse, they came at a huge cost. The initial bailout of Fortis led to the fall of the government in December 2008. The government’s public debt also rose significantly, from 84% of GDP in 2007 to 96.7% in 2009.

Subdued rental market

Belgium’s rapid price increases have pushed gross rental yields sharply down, to around 4.5% to 6% for apartments in Brussels, according to Global Property Guide research (see Rental Yields) in May 2009. From 1998 to 2008, rents in the private sector rose by a mere 27% while apartment prices rose 127% over the same period.

In 2009, private sector rents rose 4.9% while apartment prices rose by a mere 1.9%, In Q1 2010, private rent increase outpaced apartment price growth: 6% y-o-y compared with4.9%. These are not enough, however, to push long term yields up.

The rental market has been subdued for a number of years because of rent controls (see Landlord and Tenant section) and the rising number of homeowners. The rental market is significant, at about 30% of the housing stock (23% in the private sector, 7% in social housing); but this is falling, and is down from 38% in 1980 and 33% in 1990. However, 60% of households in Brussels are renters, a fact partly encouraged by Belgium’s unusually high buy/sell costs.

Supply and demand

In Q1 2010, total housing transactions reached 27,281, 12.6% higher than in the same period last year. In 2009 113,000 dwellings were sold, lower than the more than 120,000 dwellings sold annually from 2005 to 2008.

Dwelling permits and dwellings starts dropped from 2007 to 2009, due to the weak housing market. For instance, only 41,508 dwellings were started in 2009, compared to an average of 55,400 units from 2005 to 2007. Dwelling permits also fell to around 45,000 units in 2009, lower than 58,000 permit annual average from 2005 to 2007.

Economic recovery

The housing market’s performance is strongly influenced by the economy. The Belgian economy expanded by an average of 2.64% between 2004 and 2007, after an average annual 1.05% GDP growth from 2001 to 2003. The unemployment rate went down to 7.1% in 2008 from 8.5% in 2005.

With the global financial meltdown, Belgium’s GDP contracted by 3% in 2009, and unemployment rose to 7.9% at the end of 2009 and is expected to rise further to 8.2% by the end of 2010.

Economic recovery remains fragile. Although GDP expanded in Q1 by 0.1% q-o-q, it was lower than the increases of 0.7% in Q3 and 0.3% in Q4 2009. The economy is expected to grow by around 1.3% in 2010 and 1.8% in 2011.

Regardless of who emerges as part of the new coalition government, austerity measures are expected to cut the deficit and the national debt. But unpopular cost cutting measures are difficult to implement, especially in politically-divided countries like Belgium.

This article was republished with permission from Global Property Guide.

Belgium-rose: Belgium-rose: "Cost of living rose 31%" < Belgian ...

Fresh research from the Institute for Sustainable Development paints a somber picture of Belgium's economic prospects in 2012. The Institute predicts that spending power will fall further and that unemployment will rise.

Read More >>

Belgium-rose - blog*spot

Rose Walker LLP, the litigation law firm, has announced that it will open a new office in Los Angeles. This will be the first office for the firm outside the state of Texas. The new office will be led by partner Michael J. Terhar, with the firm focusing on aviation and aerospace litigtation.
The new office will be located at 2 N. Lake Avenue in Pasadena, California, which used to be occupied by the firm of LaMontagne & Terhar LLP. This firm was co-founded by Terhar but he is leaving in order to take the job with Rose Walker. There are only two lawyers on the staff for the California office of Rose Walker, but there are negotiations ongoing for future hires.

Chris McDowell, a partner with the Dallas firm, said the following:

“We have a lot of clients in aviation and aerospace, and they’ve been asking us to be present in California for a long time … It seemed like the right time and right opportunity to finally do so.”
McDowell also said that the firm’s new office in California might also expand into the practices of intellectual property and commercial litigation. The opening of the firm’s office in California is expected to boost the work done by the firm for the past couple of decades in California.
“Our firm has always worked in California, and we are familiar with the business climate and the courts there. This move gives us a ‘boots-on-the-ground’ component that we didn’t have before, and that’s good for our clients,” Martin Rose, the firm’s founder, said in a statement.

Rose also said that Terhar is the perfect candidate to lead the office in California because of his 30 years of experience in litigation within the state.

“We have known him for his entire legal career and frequently worked together,” Rose said in a statement. “He’s a natural fit for our culture and results-focused practice. I’m thrilled to have him on board.”

Terhar has worked on commercial and private aviation cases, including the 1978 case involving the crash of PSA Flight 182 in a neighborhood in San Diego.

Terhar also has quite a bit of experience representing sports and concert venues in Los Angeles County. Those cases have involved crowd control, security and code violations, personal injury and wrongful death cases that cause injury to stuntmen, cast and crew in Hollywood.

The case history for Terhar is impressive as it includes him defending an aerial stunt coordinator’s role in a helicopter accident during the filming of ‘XXX,’ which was released back in 2002. Terhar also represented John Landis in wrongful death lawsuits related to the filming of ‘Twilight Zone’ back in 1983.

Terhar attended Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, graduating in 1979.

“We grow as our clients’ need dictate. We’re not driven to grow to a certain size by a certain time,” McDowell said.

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Posted by jim on January 9, 2012. Filed under Home,Law Firm News,Rose Walker LLP. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.

Belgium-rose: Belgium-rose

According to Belgian police, the body of a woman was found at an address used by the gunman Nordine Amrani.

Nordine Amrani, 32, was armed with grenades and an assault rifle when he attacked holiday shoppers at Place Saint-Lambert in Liege.

Attacker’s victims included two teenage boys aged 15 and 17, a 75-year-old woman and an 18-month-old baby, who died in hospital last night. A total of 122 were also wounded.

Prosecutor Cedric Visart de Bocarme told Belgian La Premiere radio station that the woman – a 45-year-old cleaner – had been found in a warehouse used by Nordine Amrani.

Cedric Visart de Bocarme said: “A search last night revealed in a warehouse used by the attacker, notably to grow cannabis, the body of a woman killed by the attacker.”

The death toll from yesterday's grenade attack at a Christmas market in Liege, Belgium, rose to six, including the killer himself

Nordine Amrani, who was previously jailed for possession of arms and drugs offences, hurled grenades and sprayed bullets into crowds of Christmas shoppers and children in Place Saint-Lambert.

The attack paralyzed the centre of Belgium’s fifth largest city, with workers trapped in offices as police sealed off the area. It is still unclear what drove Nordine Amrani to carry out the attack.

The shoppers, many of them children, ran screaming for safety in the panic as the gunman opened fire.

Men, women and children fled down the streets of the city centre – some still carrying shopping bags – as ambulances and police descended on the area.

Reports said Nordine Amrani used an FN FAL automatic rifle, a Belgian-made rifle capable of firing 700 rounds a minute, a pistol and threw three grenades in the attack.

In the initial chaos, reports said up to three men had taken part in the attack, but the Interior Ministry later confirmed only one was involved, adding the incident was not terrorism-related.

Nordine Amrani was on his way for police questioning when he attacked a crowd near a bus stop at Place Saint Lambert, a central shopping square which is the site of the city’s Christmas market and its main courthouse. It was not clear whether he committed suicide or died accidentally.

Belgian Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo expressed horror at the attack and travelled to the city. The nation’s King and Queen also arrived on the city this evening to visit survivors.

Interior Ministry official Peter Mertens said emergency medical teams were called in from as far away as the Netherlands.

The broadcaster Radio Television Belge Francophone said during the attack that all buses had been asked to leave the city centre and all shops in the area were closed, some with many customers stranded inside.

Police helicopters were flying over the city and a medical post has been set up in the courtyard of the palace of the Prince Bishops (the court house) located on the site.

Police were on the scene quickly and sealed off the square. TV images showed blood splattered across the cobblestones.

Place Saint-Lambert is a busy crossroads. Every day 1,800 buses serve the square, which leads to downtown shopping streets.

The Place Saint-Lambert and the nearby Place du Marche host Liege’s annual Christmas market which consists of 200 retail cabins and attracts some 1.5 million visitors a year.

Belgium-rose: Belgium-rose - blog*spot

Rose Walker LLP, the litigation law firm, has announced that it will open a new office in Los Angeles. This will be the first office for the firm outside the state of Texas. The new office will be led by partner Michael J. Terhar, with the firm focusing on aviation and aerospace litigtation.
The new office will be located at 2 N. Lake Avenue in Pasadena, California, which used to be occupied by the firm of LaMontagne & Terhar LLP. This firm was co-founded by Terhar but he is leaving in order to take the job with Rose Walker. There are only two lawyers on the staff for the California office of Rose Walker, but there are negotiations ongoing for future hires.

Chris McDowell, a partner with the Dallas firm, said the following:

“We have a lot of clients in aviation and aerospace, and they’ve been asking us to be present in California for a long time … It seemed like the right time and right opportunity to finally do so.”
McDowell also said that the firm’s new office in California might also expand into the practices of intellectual property and commercial litigation. The opening of the firm’s office in California is expected to boost the work done by the firm for the past couple of decades in California.
“Our firm has always worked in California, and we are familiar with the business climate and the courts there. This move gives us a ‘boots-on-the-ground’ component that we didn’t have before, and that’s good for our clients,” Martin Rose, the firm’s founder, said in a statement.

Rose also said that Terhar is the perfect candidate to lead the office in California because of his 30 years of experience in litigation within the state.

“We have known him for his entire legal career and frequently worked together,” Rose said in a statement. “He’s a natural fit for our culture and results-focused practice. I’m thrilled to have him on board.”

Terhar has worked on commercial and private aviation cases, including the 1978 case involving the crash of PSA Flight 182 in a neighborhood in San Diego.

Terhar also has quite a bit of experience representing sports and concert venues in Los Angeles County. Those cases have involved crowd control, security and code violations, personal injury and wrongful death cases that cause injury to stuntmen, cast and crew in Hollywood.

The case history for Terhar is impressive as it includes him defending an aerial stunt coordinator’s role in a helicopter accident during the filming of ‘XXX,’ which was released back in 2002. Terhar also represented John Landis in wrongful death lawsuits related to the filming of ‘Twilight Zone’ back in 1983.

Terhar attended Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, graduating in 1979.

“We grow as our clients’ need dictate. We’re not driven to grow to a certain size by a certain time,” McDowell said.

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Posted by jim on January 9, 2012. Filed under Home,Law Firm News,Rose Walker LLP. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.

Aedifica, BAM Groep, CFE, Devgen, GIMV: Benelux Equity Preview ...

The following companies may have unusual price changes in Benelux markets. Stock symbols are in parentheses, and prices are from the previous close. The AEX-Index (AEX) in Amsterdam advanced 0.4 percent to 349.10. Belgium’s Bel20 Index gained 0.2 percent to 2,700.82. Luxembourg’s LuxX Index rose 0.7 percent to 1,430.59. Dutch stocks: Royal BAM Groep NV (BAMNB NA): The largest Dutch builder may report a first-quarter profit of 20.9 million euros ($29.8 million), according to the average estimate of five analysts in a Bloomberg survey. BAM shares rose 0.4 percent to 5.20 euros. Royal Reesink NV (ALRRE NA): The importer of Kuhn SA farm equipment said operating profit rose 58 percent in the first quarter as sales rose 8 percent. Reesink shares were unchanged at 89 euros. Belgian stocks: Ablynx NV (ABLX) : The developer of drugs based on antibodies found in llamas posted a first-quarter net loss of 13.8 million euros and said it consumed 8.6 million euros of cash in the period. The shares rose 6.4 percent to 8.45 euros. Aedifica (AED) SA: Belgium’s biggest residential real- estate investment fund said it may raise its annual dividend from a forecast of 1.63 euros a share after fiscal third-quarter rental income increased 27 percent to 7.2 million euros. Aedifica shares retreated 0.5 percent to 41.50 euros. Cie. d’Entreprises CFE SA (CFEB BB): The construction firm that owns half of Dredging Environmental & Marine Engineering NV said revenue will be stable this year after the value of outstanding orders in the first quarter climbed 15 percent from the prior quarter, to 2.22 billion euros. CFE shares gained 1 percent to 55.04 euros. Devgen NV (DEVG BB): The developer of hybrid rice, sunflower, sorghum and pearl millet seeds posted a first-quarter net loss of 1.42 million euros and maintained its forecast for “significant growth” of its seed business this year. Devgen (DEVG) shares were unchanged at 6.94 euros. GIMV NV (GIMB) : Belgium’s biggest buyout company reports fiscal full-year earnings. GIMV shares dropped 0.1 percent to 45.16 euros.

Source: Aedifica, BAM Groep, CFE, Devgen, GIMV: Benelux Equity Preview

Aegon, EVS Broadcast, KBC, Wereldhave: Benelux Equity Preview ...

The following companies may have unusual price changes in Benelux markets. Stock symbols are in parentheses, and prices are from the previous close. The AEX-Index (AEX) in Amsterdam declined 0.1 percent to 360.55. Belgium’s Bel20 Index lost 0.5 percent to 2,719.31. Luxembourg’s LuxX Index rose 0.1 percent to 1,441.72. Dutch stocks: Aegon NV (AGN) : The insurer may report first-quarter net income of 337.3 million euros ($479 million), according to the average estimate of 11 analysts surveyed by Bloomberg. Aegon rose 1.8 percent to 5.38 euros. Pharming Group NV (PHARM) : The drug developer may report a first-quarter loss excluding some items of 16.4 million euros, according to the average estimate of five analysts surveyed by Bloomberg. Pharming fell 2 percent to 15 cents. Wereldhave NV (WHA) : The property investor is scheduled to report first-quarter results before the start of trading. Wereldhave retreated 0.1 percent to 70.82 euros. Belgian stocks: EVS Broadcast Equipment SA (EVS) : The maker of television-production equipment is scheduled to report first- quarter earnings before the start of trading. EVS declined 0.6 percent to 44.80 euros. KBC Groep NV (KBC) : Belgium’s biggest bank and insurer by market value may say first-quarter net income rose to 650.5 million euros, according to the average of eight analyst estimates compiled by Bloomberg, from 442 million euros a year earlier. KBC gained 2 percent to 27.91 euros. Zetes Industries SA (ZTS) : The maker of Belgium’s electronic identity cards said first-half earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization will rise more than 40 percent from a year earlier. Zetes retreated 0.3 percent to 18.50 euros.

Source: Aegon, EVS Broadcast, KBC, Wereldhave: Benelux Equity Preview

Belgium-rose: Belgium-rose - blog*spot

Ever desired a less complicated technique to mail your blossoms during Belgium this Valentine’s? There are tons of on the internet floral retailers within the Belgium that provides every Filipino a service ought to have believe in. Most notable is Roses Voice. There are tons of main reasons why People from the philippines believe in Roses Voice, and some of those factors may be the identify so it has whenever a client avails on the companies.

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It was already released in April 2005 to offer People from the philippines everywhere a timely, trusted and inexpensive technique to mail high grade blossoms to their loved ones in the Belgium. Its partners are almost LBC and also the countrys best companies of earth-school blossoms.

LBC, the countrys reputable every day and worldwide mail gives the group 50 plus numerous years of practical knowledge as well as an intense circle of branches across the country. Their earth-school providers affords the Roses aatcompany Voice with high grade blossoms which can be manufactured working with talk about-of-the-art, chopping-border engineering. Thats why Roses Voice will deliver the best with the economical.

But the reason Roses Voice additional unique is simply because provide free of charge across the country entrance-to-entrance Philippine floral distribution in one day. Roses Voice blossoms are cultivated, selected and fretting hand-selected with the best stating near your vicinity then sent straight to you and the target, generally inside of one day of being minimize. Therefore, some blossoms will review payday loans get there because of their homies closed to allow them to start off starting in introduction.

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So if you ever planned to mail some blossoms to all your family members within the Belgium this Valentine’s, then Roses Express’ Philippine floral distribution companies can definitely give you the skills you have earned.

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Jameslist – for sale: Rolex Date vintage cadran rose certifiée ...

Tagged with: 2250  Belgium  Brussels  cadran  certifiée  chonomètre  Date  Jameslist  located  Rolex  Rose  Sale  Vintage

Jameslist – for sale: Rolex Date vintage cadran rose certifiée chonomètre (2250 EUR), located in Brussels, Belgium

Date vintage cadran rose certifiée chonomètre, automatique

Le Collection’Heure – Antoine Rauis, magasin spécialisé situé à Bruxelles depuis 10 ans, leader incontesté du Benelux. Toutes nos montres sont garanties authentiques/originales, non volées et contre toute panne pendant un an (pièce et main d’œuvre). Transparence, confiance, qualité, efficacité. Consultez notre site pour plus d’infos ou passez à notre magasin physique.

Tagged with: 2250  Belgium  Brussels  cadran  certifiée  chonomètre  Date  Jameslist  located  Rolex  Rose  Sale  Vintage

Jack Rose Hosts New Belgium Tap Takeover | DC Beer ...

By

Michael Stein

Published: February 9, 2012Posted in: Beer Events, Beers, News

It’s a fact: once New Belgium hits your lips it’s so good. So come on out to Jack Rose tonight (February 9) and taste one. With 10 taps from New Belgium, you’re sure to find something you like. Plus from 5-7:30 PM drafts will be a measly $3. Afterwards, until close, drafts are just $5.

Tonight is also the DC launch for New Belgium’s newest releases in their Lips of Faith Series. Their Cocoa Mole (ale brewed with cocoa and ancho, guajillo, and chipotle peppers, 9% ABV) and Biere de Mars (traditional Biere de Garde-style brewed with lemon peel and lemon verbana, conditioned with a touch of Brettanomyces, 6.2% ABV).

Jack Rose will also be pouring:

Belgo IPA (Belgian IPA – 7%)
Lips of Faith: Clutch Dark Sour Ale (Blended Ale with 80% Stout Ale & 20% Dark Sour Ale, 9% ABV)
Lips of Faith: Fresh Hop IPA (Dry Hopped with Cascade and Centennial Hops, 7% ABV)
Lips of Faith: Prickly Passion Saison (Fruited with Prickly Pear and Passion Fruit, 8.5% ABV)
Ranger IPA (American IPA, Hopped with Cascade, Chinook, Simcoe and more Cascade for bold hop flavor, 6.5% ABV)
DIG Pale Ale (American Pale Ale, 5.6% ABV)
1554 Enlightened Black Ale (Black Lager, 5.6% ABV)
Fat Tire Amber Ale (Belgian Pale Ale, 5.2% ABV)

Tags: jack rose dining saloon, New Belgium, tap takeovers

Belgium-rose

According to Belgian police, the body of a woman was found at an address used by the gunman Nordine Amrani.

Nordine Amrani, 32, was armed with grenades and an assault rifle when he attacked holiday shoppers at Place Saint-Lambert in Liege.

Attacker’s victims included two teenage boys aged 15 and 17, a 75-year-old woman and an 18-month-old baby, who died in hospital last night. A total of 122 were also wounded.

Prosecutor Cedric Visart de Bocarme told Belgian La Premiere radio station that the woman – a 45-year-old cleaner – had been found in a warehouse used by Nordine Amrani.

Cedric Visart de Bocarme said: “A search last night revealed in a warehouse used by the attacker, notably to grow cannabis, the body of a woman killed by the attacker.”

The death toll from yesterday's grenade attack at a Christmas market in Liege, Belgium, rose to six, including the killer himself

Nordine Amrani, who was previously jailed for possession of arms and drugs offences, hurled grenades and sprayed bullets into crowds of Christmas shoppers and children in Place Saint-Lambert.

The attack paralyzed the centre of Belgium’s fifth largest city, with workers trapped in offices as police sealed off the area. It is still unclear what drove Nordine Amrani to carry out the attack.

The shoppers, many of them children, ran screaming for safety in the panic as the gunman opened fire.

Men, women and children fled down the streets of the city centre – some still carrying shopping bags – as ambulances and police descended on the area.

Reports said Nordine Amrani used an FN FAL automatic rifle, a Belgian-made rifle capable of firing 700 rounds a minute, a pistol and threw three grenades in the attack.

In the initial chaos, reports said up to three men had taken part in the attack, but the Interior Ministry later confirmed only one was involved, adding the incident was not terrorism-related.

Nordine Amrani was on his way for police questioning when he attacked a crowd near a bus stop at Place Saint Lambert, a central shopping square which is the site of the city’s Christmas market and its main courthouse. It was not clear whether he committed suicide or died accidentally.

Belgian Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo expressed horror at the attack and travelled to the city. The nation’s King and Queen also arrived on the city this evening to visit survivors.

Interior Ministry official Peter Mertens said emergency medical teams were called in from as far away as the Netherlands.

The broadcaster Radio Television Belge Francophone said during the attack that all buses had been asked to leave the city centre and all shops in the area were closed, some with many customers stranded inside.

Police helicopters were flying over the city and a medical post has been set up in the courtyard of the palace of the Prince Bishops (the court house) located on the site.

Police were on the scene quickly and sealed off the square. TV images showed blood splattered across the cobblestones.

Place Saint-Lambert is a busy crossroads. Every day 1,800 buses serve the square, which leads to downtown shopping streets.

The Place Saint-Lambert and the nearby Place du Marche host Liege’s annual Christmas market which consists of 200 retail cabins and attracts some 1.5 million visitors a year.

Belgium-rose - blog*spot

Ever desired a less complicated technique to mail your blossoms during Belgium this Valentine’s? There are tons of on the internet floral retailers within the Belgium that provides every Filipino a service ought to have believe in. Most notable is Roses Voice. There are tons of main reasons why People from the philippines believe in Roses Voice, and some of those factors may be the identify so it has whenever a client avails on the companies.

Among a variety of on the internet floral retailers within the Belgium, Roses Voice and its particular Philippine floral distribution services are on your own that LBC controls and possesses. Flower gigle Voice is owned and operated by eLBC Direct, Incorporated., an LBC firm which is specializing in furnishing People from the philippines entry to products and services independent of the common solutions provided by LBC.

It was already released in April 2005 to offer People from the philippines everywhere a timely, trusted and inexpensive technique to mail high grade blossoms to their loved ones in the Belgium. Its partners are almost LBC and also the countrys best companies of earth-school blossoms.

LBC, the countrys reputable every day and worldwide mail gives the group 50 plus numerous years of practical knowledge as well as an intense circle of branches across the country. Their earth-school providers affords the Roses aatcompany Voice with high grade blossoms which can be manufactured working with talk about-of-the-art, chopping-border engineering. Thats why Roses Voice will deliver the best with the economical.

But the reason Roses Voice additional unique is simply because provide free of charge across the country entrance-to-entrance Philippine floral distribution in one day. Roses Voice blossoms are cultivated, selected and fretting hand-selected with the best stating near your vicinity then sent straight to you and the target, generally inside of one day of being minimize. Therefore, some blossoms will review payday loans get there because of their homies closed to allow them to start off starting in introduction.

Also, their floral bouquets are enveloped in stylish nonetheless strong appearance to make certain that the blossoms get there refreshing to the vacation destination. A floral treatment points take a note of is dark so customers can enjoy their blossoms lengthier. An exceptional Roses Voice greeting card can be involved where one can write your own concept to the one you love.

So if you ever planned to mail some blossoms to all your family members within the Belgium this Valentine’s, then Roses Express’ Philippine floral distribution companies can definitely give you the skills you have earned.

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Belgium-rose: Belgium-rose - blog*spot

According to Belgian police, the body of a woman was found at an address used by the gunman Nordine Amrani.

Nordine Amrani, 32, was armed with grenades and an assault rifle when he attacked holiday shoppers at Place Saint-Lambert in Liege.

Attacker’s victims included two teenage boys aged 15 and 17, a 75-year-old woman and an 18-month-old baby, who died in hospital last night. A total of 122 were also wounded.

Prosecutor Cedric Visart de Bocarme told Belgian La Premiere radio station that the woman – a 45-year-old cleaner – had been found in a warehouse used by Nordine Amrani.

Cedric Visart de Bocarme said: “A search last night revealed in a warehouse used by the attacker, notably to grow cannabis, the body of a woman killed by the attacker.”

The death toll from yesterday's grenade attack at a Christmas market in Liege, Belgium, rose to six, including the killer himself

Nordine Amrani, who was previously jailed for possession of arms and drugs offences, hurled grenades and sprayed bullets into crowds of Christmas shoppers and children in Place Saint-Lambert.

The attack paralyzed the centre of Belgium’s fifth largest city, with workers trapped in offices as police sealed off the area. It is still unclear what drove Nordine Amrani to carry out the attack.

The shoppers, many of them children, ran screaming for safety in the panic as the gunman opened fire.

Men, women and children fled down the streets of the city centre – some still carrying shopping bags – as ambulances and police descended on the area.

Reports said Nordine Amrani used an FN FAL automatic rifle, a Belgian-made rifle capable of firing 700 rounds a minute, a pistol and threw three grenades in the attack.

In the initial chaos, reports said up to three men had taken part in the attack, but the Interior Ministry later confirmed only one was involved, adding the incident was not terrorism-related.

Nordine Amrani was on his way for police questioning when he attacked a crowd near a bus stop at Place Saint Lambert, a central shopping square which is the site of the city’s Christmas market and its main courthouse. It was not clear whether he committed suicide or died accidentally.

Belgian Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo expressed horror at the attack and travelled to the city. The nation’s King and Queen also arrived on the city this evening to visit survivors.

Interior Ministry official Peter Mertens said emergency medical teams were called in from as far away as the Netherlands.

The broadcaster Radio Television Belge Francophone said during the attack that all buses had been asked to leave the city centre and all shops in the area were closed, some with many customers stranded inside.

Police helicopters were flying over the city and a medical post has been set up in the courtyard of the palace of the Prince Bishops (the court house) located on the site.

Police were on the scene quickly and sealed off the square. TV images showed blood splattered across the cobblestones.

Place Saint-Lambert is a busy crossroads. Every day 1,800 buses serve the square, which leads to downtown shopping streets.

The Place Saint-Lambert and the nearby Place du Marche host Liege’s annual Christmas market which consists of 200 retail cabins and attracts some 1.5 million visitors a year.

Belgium real estate property available | Welcome To tittyrdar.info

The prices inside the Belgium property industry happen to be rising rapidly as well as this is amongst the number of European countries that are achieving so effectively. This is stark comparison with the global housing market because the rehabilitation is merely beginning.

The Third quarter, Fourth quarter of 09 as well as the First quarter of this year have observed an amazing increase inside the real estate price ranges within Belgium. The economic system of Belgium has noticed a highly detailed recuperation and also this has become indicated inside the residential and also the industrial Belgium real-estate industry. The Three major parts of Belgium for example Belgium’s capital already have posted powerful selling price soars inside the Belgium property rankings, in spite of the particular political concern in the land.

Normal homes as well as domestic houses were valued at 177,204 euros in the first quarter of this year inside the Belgium real-estate for sale property. The prices for studio room apartments and also greater houses had been increased by 5.9 percent and also the normal value was at 185,598 euros inside the first quarter of 2010. The normal price of Belgium property on the market regarding the bungalows and villas likewise noted a growth plus was basically witnessed at 2.1 percent during the same quarter.

Belgium is an extraordinary nation and is known for their old world elegance, tourism and lastly, the tulips. The capital of Brussels is incredibly old as well as quite modern at the same time. This is the area of European art work and customs as well as men and women from worldwide furthermore go to the area for employment. In Belgium’s capital, even the Belgium real-estate on the market properties listed almost a double digit growth especially for the standard residences. The sale price properties rose to 175, while the cost for the smaller flats and houses rose to about 10 percent and cost approximately two hundred thousand euros in the very same time.

In Belgium both French and Dutch impacts are actually certainly noticed. The Dutch talking Flanders, the regular worth of the condominiums is 5.5 % higher in the previous quarter, even though the rates for the villas increased by 1.25 percent. The Wallonia area that is French speaking noted a growth of 3.9 percent with regard to the normal residences along with 3.4 percent for the villas. Despite the fact that the price tag on the flats now have dropped in the area in line with the Belgium property on the market info that has been released.

The overall economy will certainly go on increasing and it is expected to get better noticeably in 2011. The particular political stability connected with the land is going through modifications as there are significant disagreements between French and Dutch speaking neighborhoods. The Belgium rental fees also have remained changed though the international rental fees and perhaps the actual rental fees throughout other places of the old continent now have been subject to a growth in the first quarter of this year. The Belgium lease returns are

generally almost static at 5.5 percent (last year in 009, the yields were 5.3 percent. as of this moment you will find a good market demand for the rental units throughout Belgium’s capital and also other areas of Belgium which should see the lease incomes boost.

About The Company

Taylor White is an international real estate investor and leading the charge at International Real Estate Listings the worldwide leader in Belgium real estate listings, Belgium real estate for sale, and Belgium real estate. Belgium real estate owners, agents, and developers are encouraged to create an account, upload an unlimited number of listings, write as much creative property details, include a You Tube property video, and it will be activated as a basic listing for 6 months, free.

Belgium-rose: Belgium-rose

Ever wanted a less strenuous way to mail your blossoms extremely popular Belgium this coming Valentine’s? There are a variety of on the internet rose suppliers inside Belgium that provides every last Filipino a website merit confidence. Most notable is Plants Show. There are a variety of explanation why Filipinos confidence Plants Show, and some of those motives will be the brand that it has whenever a client avails with their companies.

Among the variety of on the internet rose suppliers inside Belgium, Plants Show and its Filipino rose delivery service is man or woman that LBC controls and owns. Floral gigle Show is owned and operated by eLBC Lead, Incorporated., an LBC firm which is focused on providing Filipinos admission to services besides the regular products and solutions supplied by LBC.

It was introduced in Oct 2005 to deliver Filipinos around the globe an easy, trusted and inexpensive way to mail high quality blossoms to their family any place the Belgium. Its lovers are almost LBC as well as the countrys very best providers of community-training blossoms.

LBC, the countrys dependable home-based and foreign mail brings to the team 50 plus a great deal of practical experience along with an extensive circle of organizations nationally. Their community-training distributors supplies the Plants aatcompany Show with high quality blossoms which are generated utilizing talk about-of-the-artwork, cutting-borders technology. Thats why Plants Show is sure to supply the best within the greatest.

But why Plants Show more unique is because they give free of charge nationally home-to-home Filipino rose delivery in twenty four hours. Plants Show blossoms are harvested, chosen and palm-decided on through the very best gardeners near your vicinity and after that supplied straight away to you and your person, usually within twenty four hours to be reduce. So, some blossoms will review payday loans turn up making use of their buds sealed for them to start out cracking open about arrival.

Also, their bridal flowers blossoms are encased in exquisite but stable product packaging to make certain that the blossoms turn up fresh new to its desired destination. A rose care recommendations save is surrounded so prospects can take advantage of their blossoms longer. A special Plants Show card is likewise included where one can publish an individual message to your beloved.

So if you want to mail some blossoms back to all your family inside Belgium this coming Valentine’s, then Plants Express’ Filipino rose delivery companies can surely give you the assistance you should have.

Belgium-rose

Ever wanted a less strenuous way to mail your blossoms extremely popular Belgium this coming Valentine’s? There are a variety of on the internet rose suppliers inside Belgium that provides every last Filipino a website merit confidence. Most notable is Plants Show. There are a variety of explanation why Filipinos confidence Plants Show, and some of those motives will be the brand that it has whenever a client avails with their companies.

Among the variety of on the internet rose suppliers inside Belgium, Plants Show and its Filipino rose delivery service is man or woman that LBC controls and owns. Floral gigle Show is owned and operated by eLBC Lead, Incorporated., an LBC firm which is focused on providing Filipinos admission to services besides the regular products and solutions supplied by LBC.

It was introduced in Oct 2005 to deliver Filipinos around the globe an easy, trusted and inexpensive way to mail high quality blossoms to their family any place the Belgium. Its lovers are almost LBC as well as the countrys very best providers of community-training blossoms.

LBC, the countrys dependable home-based and foreign mail brings to the team 50 plus a great deal of practical experience along with an extensive circle of organizations nationally. Their community-training distributors supplies the Plants aatcompany Show with high quality blossoms which are generated utilizing talk about-of-the-artwork, cutting-borders technology. Thats why Plants Show is sure to supply the best within the greatest.

But why Plants Show more unique is because they give free of charge nationally home-to-home Filipino rose delivery in twenty four hours. Plants Show blossoms are harvested, chosen and palm-decided on through the very best gardeners near your vicinity and after that supplied straight away to you and your person, usually within twenty four hours to be reduce. So, some blossoms will review payday loans turn up making use of their buds sealed for them to start out cracking open about arrival.

Also, their bridal flowers blossoms are encased in exquisite but stable product packaging to make certain that the blossoms turn up fresh new to its desired destination. A rose care recommendations save is surrounded so prospects can take advantage of their blossoms longer. A special Plants Show card is likewise included where one can publish an individual message to your beloved.

So if you want to mail some blossoms back to all your family inside Belgium this coming Valentine’s, then Plants Express’ Filipino rose delivery companies can surely give you the assistance you should have.

Belgium-rose: Belgium-rose - blog*spot

Statistics Belgium reports that price gains in Belgium are slowing as the country attempts to recover from the effects of the global financial crisis while negotiating the rise of a new coalition government. The country saw price surges as high as 200% in hot spots like Brussels from 1998 to 2008, but high exposure to toxic markets drove these prices down in all three market regions. Like the U.S., Belgium is now dominated by only a few mortgage lenders, the bailout of which eventually led to the collapse of the government in 2008. Now, the resulting turmoil is compromising the country’s housing market recovery. For more on this continue reading the following article from Global Property Guide.

Prices of ‘regular’ houses in Belgium rose by 2.79%, to €184,147, during the year to end-Q2 2011.

• In Brussels, prices of regular houses increased by 1.2% to €338,645.
• In the Flemish region, regular house prices rose 3.71% to €197,415. Flemish Brabant had the most expensive houses, with an average price of €232,192. The cheapest, on the other hand, were in the province of Limburg with an average house price of €174,621.

The trend seems now to be down.  In the second quarter of 2011, prices of regular houses in Belgium dropped by 0.8% q-o-q, according to Statistics Belgium (StatBel).

Belgium’s house price boom from 2000 to H1 2008 was driven by low interest rates and increased competition between banks; and strong economic and wage growth

Total transactions for ‘regular’ houses fell by 2.4% to 15,955 units from a year earlier to Q2 2011, with apartment transactions down 9%.  The property market has been adversely affected by the country’s political troubles. Since the parliamentary election in 2010, Belgium has been in political deadlock.

Belgium’s real GDP grew by 2.5% in Q2 2011, after 3% growth in Q1, according to the National Accounts Institute. In 2010, the economy expanded by 2.1%, according to the IMF.

Brussels prices surge ahead

Belgium is divided into three regions:

• the Flemish Region that occupies the northern half with Dutch-speaking communities;
• the Walloon Region which occupies the southern-half and is made-up largely of French-speaking communities with a small German-speaking community in the south-east; and
• Brussels, the administrative capital region, an officially tri-lingual city inside the Flemish region.

Each region and community has a separate parliament and executive administration. Power has been increasingly devolved. There is also a persisting ethnic conflict, and the political union has come under rising threat.

Property prices in Belgium’s three regions move in the same price cycle, but the capital has registered much the highest price increases. Prices in Brussels surged almost 200% (140% in real terms) from 1998 to 2008, much more than in the two other regions (143% for the Flemish region and 116% in Walloon) over the same period, according to StatBel.

Prices also fell most in Brussels during 2009, though the falls were relatively insignificant. The average price of ordinary houses in Brussels decreased 1.9% in 2009; more than the 0.9% price fall for Walloon, and worse than the 1% nominal increase in the Flemish region. When adjusted for inflation, houses prices fell in all areas.

The drivers of Belgium’s house price boom were:

• rapid mortgage market expansion due to low interest rates and increased competition between banks; and
• relatively strong economic and wage growth.

When these conditions were reversed with the global credit crunch, house price rises stopped. But now the economic recovery, helped by low interest rates, is causing house prices to rise strongly again.

Record low mortgage rates

Mortgage rates moved down in March 2009 to 2.84% for floating rate mortgages and 4.16% for new mortgages with 10-year interest rate fixation (IRF), in line with the historically rock-bottom levels seen in 2005.

Interest rates recently peaked at 5.33% in October 2008 (for new mortgages with 10-year interest rate fixation (IRF), while those with floating rate and up to 1year IRF peaked at 6.02%.

Mortgage growth and stability

The Belgian mortgage market has been dominated by four major private financial institutions: Fortis, Dexia, KBC, and ING Belgium since a wave of privatization, mergers and acquisition in the 1990s. All four have interests spread across the financial industry including investment management, retail banking and insurance. Intense competition has led to low fees and charges, and more mortgage options.

Despite the credit crunch, the mortgage market grew 9% in 2008 and 7.5% in 2009. In Q1 2010, outstanding mortgage credit rose to €147.6 billion, 8.5% higher than a year earlier.

Fixed-rate mortgages dominate

Mortgages in Belgium typically have a 20 year duration, and a loan-to-value ratio of 80% to 85%. Since 2008, more than 80% of new loans have had interest rates fixed for the duration of the loan, or for ten years or more.

However, the sensitivity of households to interest rate changes has changed over the years. At the end of 2002, less than 20% of new mortgage contracts had an IRF of less than three years. Between 2003 and 2005, borrowers shifted to mortgages with shorter IRFs with interest rates typically one percentage point or more lower than fixed rate mortgages (FRM). The share of mortgages with IRF of less than 3 years rose to almost 60% at end-2004.

With the interest rate hikes from 2006 to 2008, households shifted to longer term FRMs. The share of mortgages with IRF of 3 years or less shrank to around 1% to 2% of total loans in 2007 and 2008.

Bank bailouts everywhere

Belgian financial institutions were among the worst hit by the 2008 financial meltdown. Losses from international operations, exposure to the US subprime mortgage markets, and commitments to previous expansion programs led to massive liquidity problems.

For instance, Fortis, the largest mortgage lender in Belgium, was cash-strapped after paying €24 billion for participation in the €70 billion purchase of ABN Amro in 2007. To prevent Fortis collapsing, it was partly nationalized by the governments of Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg to the tune of €11.2 billion.

With assets bigger than the Belgian economy, Fortis is one of the biggest European banks bailed out in 2008. After the bailout, Fortis was carved up and sold, with only the insurance operations left. Its Belgian assets and operations were sold to BNP Paribas, after a lengthy and messy judicial process.

Dexia and KBC were likewise bailed out, after suffering major losses.

• The bailout of KBC Bank, which has major operations in Eastern Europe, was one of the most expensive. A total of €7 billion was injected into KBC, and on May 2009 the government announced that it is providing a guarantee of €25 billion to KBC Bank.
• The governments of France, Belgium and Luxembourg provided €6.4 billion to keep Dexia afloat.

In July 2010, Dexia and KBC Bank passed the EU-wide stress tests.

While the bailouts prevented a financial market collapse, they came at a huge cost. The initial bailout of Fortis led to the fall of the government in December 2008. The government’s public debt also rose significantly, from 84% of GDP in 2007 to 96.7% in 2009.

Subdued rental market

Belgium’s rapid price increases have pushed gross rental yields sharply down, to around 4.5% to 6% for apartments in Brussels, according to Global Property Guide research (see Rental Yields) in May 2009. From 1998 to 2008, rents in the private sector rose by a mere 27% while apartment prices rose 127% over the same period.

In 2009, private sector rents rose 4.9% while apartment prices rose by a mere 1.9%, In Q1 2010, private rent increase outpaced apartment price growth: 6% y-o-y compared with4.9%. These are not enough, however, to push long term yields up.

The rental market has been subdued for a number of years because of rent controls (see Landlord and Tenant section) and the rising number of homeowners. The rental market is significant, at about 30% of the housing stock (23% in the private sector, 7% in social housing); but this is falling, and is down from 38% in 1980 and 33% in 1990. However, 60% of households in Brussels are renters, a fact partly encouraged by Belgium’s unusually high buy/sell costs.

Supply and demand

In Q1 2010, total housing transactions reached 27,281, 12.6% higher than in the same period last year. In 2009 113,000 dwellings were sold, lower than the more than 120,000 dwellings sold annually from 2005 to 2008.

Dwelling permits and dwellings starts dropped from 2007 to 2009, due to the weak housing market. For instance, only 41,508 dwellings were started in 2009, compared to an average of 55,400 units from 2005 to 2007. Dwelling permits also fell to around 45,000 units in 2009, lower than 58,000 permit annual average from 2005 to 2007.

Economic recovery

The housing market’s performance is strongly influenced by the economy. The Belgian economy expanded by an average of 2.64% between 2004 and 2007, after an average annual 1.05% GDP growth from 2001 to 2003. The unemployment rate went down to 7.1% in 2008 from 8.5% in 2005.

With the global financial meltdown, Belgium’s GDP contracted by 3% in 2009, and unemployment rose to 7.9% at the end of 2009 and is expected to rise further to 8.2% by the end of 2010.

Economic recovery remains fragile. Although GDP expanded in Q1 by 0.1% q-o-q, it was lower than the increases of 0.7% in Q3 and 0.3% in Q4 2009. The economy is expected to grow by around 1.3% in 2010 and 1.8% in 2011.

Regardless of who emerges as part of the new coalition government, austerity measures are expected to cut the deficit and the national debt. But unpopular cost cutting measures are difficult to implement, especially in politically-divided countries like Belgium.

This article was republished with permission from Global Property Guide.

Belgium-rose - blog*spot

According to Belgian police, the body of a woman was found at an address used by the gunman Nordine Amrani.

Nordine Amrani, 32, was armed with grenades and an assault rifle when he attacked holiday shoppers at Place Saint-Lambert in Liege.

Attacker’s victims included two teenage boys aged 15 and 17, a 75-year-old woman and an 18-month-old baby, who died in hospital last night. A total of 122 were also wounded.

Prosecutor Cedric Visart de Bocarme told Belgian La Premiere radio station that the woman – a 45-year-old cleaner – had been found in a warehouse used by Nordine Amrani.

Cedric Visart de Bocarme said: “A search last night revealed in a warehouse used by the attacker, notably to grow cannabis, the body of a woman killed by the attacker.”

The death toll from yesterday's grenade attack at a Christmas market in Liege, Belgium, rose to six, including the killer himself

Nordine Amrani, who was previously jailed for possession of arms and drugs offences, hurled grenades and sprayed bullets into crowds of Christmas shoppers and children in Place Saint-Lambert.

The attack paralyzed the centre of Belgium’s fifth largest city, with workers trapped in offices as police sealed off the area. It is still unclear what drove Nordine Amrani to carry out the attack.

The shoppers, many of them children, ran screaming for safety in the panic as the gunman opened fire.

Men, women and children fled down the streets of the city centre – some still carrying shopping bags – as ambulances and police descended on the area.

Reports said Nordine Amrani used an FN FAL automatic rifle, a Belgian-made rifle capable of firing 700 rounds a minute, a pistol and threw three grenades in the attack.

In the initial chaos, reports said up to three men had taken part in the attack, but the Interior Ministry later confirmed only one was involved, adding the incident was not terrorism-related.

Nordine Amrani was on his way for police questioning when he attacked a crowd near a bus stop at Place Saint Lambert, a central shopping square which is the site of the city’s Christmas market and its main courthouse. It was not clear whether he committed suicide or died accidentally.

Belgian Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo expressed horror at the attack and travelled to the city. The nation’s King and Queen also arrived on the city this evening to visit survivors.

Interior Ministry official Peter Mertens said emergency medical teams were called in from as far away as the Netherlands.

The broadcaster Radio Television Belge Francophone said during the attack that all buses had been asked to leave the city centre and all shops in the area were closed, some with many customers stranded inside.

Police helicopters were flying over the city and a medical post has been set up in the courtyard of the palace of the Prince Bishops (the court house) located on the site.

Police were on the scene quickly and sealed off the square. TV images showed blood splattered across the cobblestones.

Place Saint-Lambert is a busy crossroads. Every day 1,800 buses serve the square, which leads to downtown shopping streets.

The Place Saint-Lambert and the nearby Place du Marche host Liege’s annual Christmas market which consists of 200 retail cabins and attracts some 1.5 million visitors a year.

FAPCCI: Belgium 4th Country for Foreign Investment

The Federation of Andhra Pradesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FAPCCI) in association with Trade Commission, Belgium organized Interactive Meeting on “Business Opportunities’ in Flanders, Belgium” on 13th March 2013 at Federation House, Red Hills, Hyderabad. Ms. Jayant Nadigar, Trade Commissioner of Flanders, Wallonia and Brussels Region of Belgium was the chief guest for this occasion.

Mr. V.S. Raju, President, FAPCCI, Mr. Hari Haran, Co Chairman, International Trade Committee and Mr. M.V. Rajeshwara Rao, Secretary General are the other speakers at the occasion.

Ms. Jayant Nadigar said in his key note address is that the according to a recent report by UNCTAD (United Nations Conference on Trade and Development), foreign direct investment in Belgium rose by more than 50% from 2009 to almost $62 billion in 2010. Foreign direct investment worldwide increased by 5%, so Belgium definitely outpaced the global trend. Belgium is ranked as the fourth most attractive country for foreign direct investment, after the United States ($228 billion), China ($106 billion) and Hong Kong ($69 billion). Belgium was also 10th in the world ranking for outgoing direct investment ($38 billion).

He also said that the Belgium is the second largest trading partner of India in the European Union with annual bilateral trade turnover amounting to 10.4 billion Euro in 2010. India is the 5th largest exporter to Belgium (after USA, China, Japan and Russia) and 2nd largest importer of Belgian products in 2010 (after USA). Belgium has emerged as the 23rd largest investor in India worldwide and the 9th largest within the EU. The major items of Indian exports to Belgium are - Precious stones; Textiles and garments; Iron and steel; Chemical products; Mineral products; Organic chemicals; Machinery and Electrical Equipments etc. The major items of Indian imports from Belgium are- Precious stones; Iron and steel; Machinery and mechanical appliances; Chemical products; boilers, machinery and mechanical appliances & parts thereof: Organic chemicals; Plastic and rubber; Plastics and articles thereof; Pharmaceutical products etc.

The Flanders Investment & Trade agency is the government agency promoting sustainable international entrepreneurship, involving outward trade as well as inward investments, requires not only a thorough knowledge of the Flemish economic tissue, but also an extensive network outside of Flanders. Flanders Investment & Trade has a worldwide network of economic and trade representatives to help you source the quality products and services you require. Our experienced representatives provide personalized advice and answer your questions about Flemish goods and services. Travelling throughout their base countries, they pro-actively seek out business opportunities and strategic export partners Mr Jayant said.

Mr. V.S. Raju said that the Trade Commissioner of Flanders, Wallonia and Brussels Region of Belgium and is responsible for South India, for promoting exports, technology, products and services. The Trade Commissioner Office helps to connect with the Belgium companies, sourcing products or services from Belgium or seeking new business partnerships ranging from joint ventures to technology transfers. The Office also assists foreign businesses seeking to set up or expand in Flanders, viz. production or R&D facilities, contact centers, headquarters or logistics operations - or a combination of any of these - it provides the right kind of advice and guidance free of charge.

Belgium-rose - blog*spot

Statistics Belgium reports that price gains in Belgium are slowing as the country attempts to recover from the effects of the global financial crisis while negotiating the rise of a new coalition government. The country saw price surges as high as 200% in hot spots like Brussels from 1998 to 2008, but high exposure to toxic markets drove these prices down in all three market regions. Like the U.S., Belgium is now dominated by only a few mortgage lenders, the bailout of which eventually led to the collapse of the government in 2008. Now, the resulting turmoil is compromising the country’s housing market recovery. For more on this continue reading the following article from Global Property Guide.

Prices of ‘regular’ houses in Belgium rose by 2.79%, to €184,147, during the year to end-Q2 2011.

• In Brussels, prices of regular houses increased by 1.2% to €338,645.
• In the Flemish region, regular house prices rose 3.71% to €197,415. Flemish Brabant had the most expensive houses, with an average price of €232,192. The cheapest, on the other hand, were in the province of Limburg with an average house price of €174,621.

The trend seems now to be down.  In the second quarter of 2011, prices of regular houses in Belgium dropped by 0.8% q-o-q, according to Statistics Belgium (StatBel).

Belgium’s house price boom from 2000 to H1 2008 was driven by low interest rates and increased competition between banks; and strong economic and wage growth

Total transactions for ‘regular’ houses fell by 2.4% to 15,955 units from a year earlier to Q2 2011, with apartment transactions down 9%.  The property market has been adversely affected by the country’s political troubles. Since the parliamentary election in 2010, Belgium has been in political deadlock.

Belgium’s real GDP grew by 2.5% in Q2 2011, after 3% growth in Q1, according to the National Accounts Institute. In 2010, the economy expanded by 2.1%, according to the IMF.

Brussels prices surge ahead

Belgium is divided into three regions:

• the Flemish Region that occupies the northern half with Dutch-speaking communities;
• the Walloon Region which occupies the southern-half and is made-up largely of French-speaking communities with a small German-speaking community in the south-east; and
• Brussels, the administrative capital region, an officially tri-lingual city inside the Flemish region.

Each region and community has a separate parliament and executive administration. Power has been increasingly devolved. There is also a persisting ethnic conflict, and the political union has come under rising threat.

Property prices in Belgium’s three regions move in the same price cycle, but the capital has registered much the highest price increases. Prices in Brussels surged almost 200% (140% in real terms) from 1998 to 2008, much more than in the two other regions (143% for the Flemish region and 116% in Walloon) over the same period, according to StatBel.

Prices also fell most in Brussels during 2009, though the falls were relatively insignificant. The average price of ordinary houses in Brussels decreased 1.9% in 2009; more than the 0.9% price fall for Walloon, and worse than the 1% nominal increase in the Flemish region. When adjusted for inflation, houses prices fell in all areas.

The drivers of Belgium’s house price boom were:

• rapid mortgage market expansion due to low interest rates and increased competition between banks; and
• relatively strong economic and wage growth.

When these conditions were reversed with the global credit crunch, house price rises stopped. But now the economic recovery, helped by low interest rates, is causing house prices to rise strongly again.

Record low mortgage rates

Mortgage rates moved down in March 2009 to 2.84% for floating rate mortgages and 4.16% for new mortgages with 10-year interest rate fixation (IRF), in line with the historically rock-bottom levels seen in 2005.

Interest rates recently peaked at 5.33% in October 2008 (for new mortgages with 10-year interest rate fixation (IRF), while those with floating rate and up to 1year IRF peaked at 6.02%.

Mortgage growth and stability

The Belgian mortgage market has been dominated by four major private financial institutions: Fortis, Dexia, KBC, and ING Belgium since a wave of privatization, mergers and acquisition in the 1990s. All four have interests spread across the financial industry including investment management, retail banking and insurance. Intense competition has led to low fees and charges, and more mortgage options.

Despite the credit crunch, the mortgage market grew 9% in 2008 and 7.5% in 2009. In Q1 2010, outstanding mortgage credit rose to €147.6 billion, 8.5% higher than a year earlier.

Fixed-rate mortgages dominate

Mortgages in Belgium typically have a 20 year duration, and a loan-to-value ratio of 80% to 85%. Since 2008, more than 80% of new loans have had interest rates fixed for the duration of the loan, or for ten years or more.

However, the sensitivity of households to interest rate changes has changed over the years. At the end of 2002, less than 20% of new mortgage contracts had an IRF of less than three years. Between 2003 and 2005, borrowers shifted to mortgages with shorter IRFs with interest rates typically one percentage point or more lower than fixed rate mortgages (FRM). The share of mortgages with IRF of less than 3 years rose to almost 60% at end-2004.

With the interest rate hikes from 2006 to 2008, households shifted to longer term FRMs. The share of mortgages with IRF of 3 years or less shrank to around 1% to 2% of total loans in 2007 and 2008.

Bank bailouts everywhere

Belgian financial institutions were among the worst hit by the 2008 financial meltdown. Losses from international operations, exposure to the US subprime mortgage markets, and commitments to previous expansion programs led to massive liquidity problems.

For instance, Fortis, the largest mortgage lender in Belgium, was cash-strapped after paying €24 billion for participation in the €70 billion purchase of ABN Amro in 2007. To prevent Fortis collapsing, it was partly nationalized by the governments of Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg to the tune of €11.2 billion.

With assets bigger than the Belgian economy, Fortis is one of the biggest European banks bailed out in 2008. After the bailout, Fortis was carved up and sold, with only the insurance operations left. Its Belgian assets and operations were sold to BNP Paribas, after a lengthy and messy judicial process.

Dexia and KBC were likewise bailed out, after suffering major losses.

• The bailout of KBC Bank, which has major operations in Eastern Europe, was one of the most expensive. A total of €7 billion was injected into KBC, and on May 2009 the government announced that it is providing a guarantee of €25 billion to KBC Bank.
• The governments of France, Belgium and Luxembourg provided €6.4 billion to keep Dexia afloat.

In July 2010, Dexia and KBC Bank passed the EU-wide stress tests.

While the bailouts prevented a financial market collapse, they came at a huge cost. The initial bailout of Fortis led to the fall of the government in December 2008. The government’s public debt also rose significantly, from 84% of GDP in 2007 to 96.7% in 2009.

Subdued rental market

Belgium’s rapid price increases have pushed gross rental yields sharply down, to around 4.5% to 6% for apartments in Brussels, according to Global Property Guide research (see Rental Yields) in May 2009. From 1998 to 2008, rents in the private sector rose by a mere 27% while apartment prices rose 127% over the same period.

In 2009, private sector rents rose 4.9% while apartment prices rose by a mere 1.9%, In Q1 2010, private rent increase outpaced apartment price growth: 6% y-o-y compared with4.9%. These are not enough, however, to push long term yields up.

The rental market has been subdued for a number of years because of rent controls (see Landlord and Tenant section) and the rising number of homeowners. The rental market is significant, at about 30% of the housing stock (23% in the private sector, 7% in social housing); but this is falling, and is down from 38% in 1980 and 33% in 1990. However, 60% of households in Brussels are renters, a fact partly encouraged by Belgium’s unusually high buy/sell costs.

Supply and demand

In Q1 2010, total housing transactions reached 27,281, 12.6% higher than in the same period last year. In 2009 113,000 dwellings were sold, lower than the more than 120,000 dwellings sold annually from 2005 to 2008.

Dwelling permits and dwellings starts dropped from 2007 to 2009, due to the weak housing market. For instance, only 41,508 dwellings were started in 2009, compared to an average of 55,400 units from 2005 to 2007. Dwelling permits also fell to around 45,000 units in 2009, lower than 58,000 permit annual average from 2005 to 2007.

Economic recovery

The housing market’s performance is strongly influenced by the economy. The Belgian economy expanded by an average of 2.64% between 2004 and 2007, after an average annual 1.05% GDP growth from 2001 to 2003. The unemployment rate went down to 7.1% in 2008 from 8.5% in 2005.

With the global financial meltdown, Belgium’s GDP contracted by 3% in 2009, and unemployment rose to 7.9% at the end of 2009 and is expected to rise further to 8.2% by the end of 2010.

Economic recovery remains fragile. Although GDP expanded in Q1 by 0.1% q-o-q, it was lower than the increases of 0.7% in Q3 and 0.3% in Q4 2009. The economy is expected to grow by around 1.3% in 2010 and 1.8% in 2011.

Regardless of who emerges as part of the new coalition government, austerity measures are expected to cut the deficit and the national debt. But unpopular cost cutting measures are difficult to implement, especially in politically-divided countries like Belgium.

This article was republished with permission from Global Property Guide.