An increasing number of international investors have made acquisitions in Hungary, even as activity by domestic funds takes around a 50% market share. Although the fundamentals are positive from both a supply and demand perspective, the relatively low number of investment grade product is acting as an impediment to further development, according to research for the first half of 2019.

The Hungarian industrial market currently has a vacancy rate of around 2.4%, a historical low in a market with a stock of 2.2 million sqm. As of the summer, only around 50,000 sqm of space is vacant and no existing logistics scheme has more than 5,000 sqm of space available according to the Budapest Research Forum.

Foreign direct investment (FDI) income in Hungary came to EUR 9.243 billion last year, annual data published by the National Bank of Hungary (MNB) on Friday shows, according to state news wire MTI.

More than 100 young professionals started their international careers in September under MOL Group’s Growww program for fresh graduates, according to a press release sent to the Budapest Business Journal.

Talks on Hungarian credit for an EUR 1 billion order from Egypt for 1,300 railway carriages have wound up, and the contract on the delivery could be signed soon, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade state secretary Levente Magyar told state news wire MTI on Thursday in Cairo.

Fruccola, the fast food casual restaurant serving salads, has launched a food track dubbed Jupiter in cooperation with the Hand in Hand Foundation (Kézenfogva Alapítvány), which helps people with disabilities, index.hu reports.

International design premieres, trends coming to life and contemporary visions await you at the most exciting event of this fall! On September 20-22, 2019, the Budapest Arena will be filled with endless inspiration and leading brands from the wonderful world of interior design.

The local unit of German discount supermarket chain Penny Market has been presented with an award by Zsolt Feldman, state secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, for the distribution of the highest number of its own bands labeled "Magyar Termék” ("Hungarian Product”), news portal origo.hu reports.

Germanyʼs thyssenkrupp is moving its Budapest automotive industry development centre to a bigger base in the capital and adding more staff, the business told state news wire MTI.

The European Union will invest more than EUR 48 million in the upgrade of a children hospital in Srebrnjak, near the capital of Zagreb, to a clinical research center, the European Commission said.

Hungaryʼs Competition Office (GVH) has cleared the merger of construction company Közgép with industry peer Duna Aszfalt, a resolution posted on the authorityʼs website shows, cited by state news agency MTI.   

The Sopron Breweryʼs Óvatos Duhaj beers received significant recognition at this yearʼs International Beer Challenge, with Óvatos Duhaj APA winning gold and sour-cherry flavored Meggy Ale winning bronze at the event.

Tickets sold out in less than a day for the Novathon conference, organized by CIB Bank and parent Intesa Sanpaolo, featuring Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak and financial strategist Jim Marous, according to a press release sent to the Budapest Business Journal.

Péter Sükösd, winner of Wolters Kluwer’s 2018 Compliance Lawyer of the Year Award, has joined the Hungarian team of DLA Piper as head of competition law, according to a press release sent to the Budapest Business Journal.

The Government Debt Management Agency (ÁKK) sold HUF 15.0 billion of discount 12-month T-bills at auction on Thursday, in line with its original offer.

Property developer Cordia, the residential arm of Hungaryʼs Futureal Group, says it is increasing its capital exports and foreign investments, expanding its presence in Romania and Poland, while establishing a presence in Spain with a pilot project.

Hungarian writer László Krasznahorkai’s novel “Baron Wenckheim’s Homecoming” (“Báró Wenckheim hazatér” - translated from Hungarian by Ottilie Mulzet) has been included on the longlist for translated literature, a category only launched last year, of the U.S. National Book Awards, The Associated Press reports.

József Váradi, the chief executive officer of Hungarian low-cost airline Wizz Air, says he does not expect Brexit to disrupt his operations, and that it could actually present an opportunity to grow as competitors fall away, nytimes.com reports.

AutoWallis has been assigned a B3 issuer rating by Scope Ratings, the listed automotive holding said in a statement, adding that it is seriously considering participation in the Bond Funding for Growth Scheme (BGS) of the National Bank of Hungary (MNB).