Sale of property assets has left British economy with unstable foundations | Business | The Observer

Sale of property assets has left British economy with unstable foundations | Business | The Observer

London's newest, and Europe's tallest, skyscraper will open on Thursday followed by a fanfare of lasers and fireworks. The £2bn Shard, all 1,016 feet of it, will be illuminated to show off the Qataris' latest trophy in the capital. Already in their shopping basket are Canary Wharf, Harrods and One Hyde Park, the world's most expensive block of flats.
As financial invasions go, it's not subtle. Qatar's investment fund, overseen by the country's Sandhurst-educated ruler, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, also owns a big slice of supermarket Sainsbury's, a large slice of the London Stock Exchange, and the Olympic Village – once the athletes have departed.