The economy is set to record its sharpest contraction in close to 30 years this week.
However, there are some chinks of light for commercial property with evidence that the gap between interest rates and property yields is so wide now that investors are tentatively dipping back into the market.
There was also a focus on the retail sector, with poor Christmas trading figures expected this week. The troubled pub industry was also profiled with the outlook gloomy for most pub groups.
A number of names were linked to a bid for New Star Asset Management including Schroders, Neptune Investment Management, Henderson, Aberdeen and Hellman & Friedman.
Meanwhile, housebuilders are expected to get tax rebates following last year’s huge writedowns on the value of their land-banks.
