Group 1: Property Price Trends - The private residential price index in Hong Kong for March 2025 is reported at 284.2 points, a decrease of 0.49% from February's 285.6 points, marking a continuous decline for four months and a cumulative drop of 2.50%, reaching the lowest level in over 8.5 years since August 2016 [1] - Compared to the historical peak of 398.1 points in September 2021, property prices have decreased by 28.61% [1] - The first quarter of this year saw a cumulative price drop of 1.73%, with March's decline slightly narrowing to 0.49%, reflecting a slight improvement in market conditions in late February and early March, although prices remain low due to new developments being launched at lower prices [1] Group 2: Future Market Outlook - Looking ahead to April, despite a relatively decent market in late March, the overall sentiment may be hindered by a sharp decline in global and Hong Kong stock markets, potentially leading to a further price drop of around 0.8% in April [1] - There are expectations that a slowdown in the trade war and potential interest rate cuts by the US in May or June could provide some support to the property market, with hopes for a narrowing of price declines in May and stabilization in June [1] - The second quarter is anticipated to see an additional decline of approximately 1.3%, with an overall expected drop of about 3% in property prices for the first half of the year [1] Group 3: Rental Market Trends - The rental index in Hong Kong for March has increased by 0.1% month-on-month, marking a total increase of 0.73% over four consecutive months, reaching a six-month high, indicating a stable upward trend in the rental market [2] - The influx of professionals and a significant number of international students expected to seek rental properties in the second quarter are anticipated to drive the rental index up, with a projected increase of 1.71% for the quarter, outperforming the first quarter [2] - For the first half of the year, rental prices are expected to rise by 2.13% [2]