A piece of prime real estate, an island on the Seine River southwest of the Eiffel Tower, finally may get developed after sitting empty since 1992.

South Korea's pension fund has paid nearly $700 million for Sony Center, a possible sign of recovery in Europe's commercial-property market as some investors see prices nearing a bottom.

Fast-growing Amazon cities are attracting retail developers. By 2011, four of the five biggest Amazonian states will have American-style malls.

An Internet start-up in Japan connects landlords with farmers and sidewalk vendors by converting pockets of dead space into short-term rental properties.

The French bank said it would incur a $2 billion hit from risky assets, leading to just a thin fourth-quarter profit. CEO Frédéric Oudéa said the move will give the bank a bigger cushion and help it become a "consolidator," rather than a target.