(Yicai Global) April 19 -- Sales of new commercial and residential real estate in Beijing soared 87.2 percent by area on the year in the first quarter, to 1.5 million square meters, according to The Beijing News.

The Chinese capital expanded investment on property development by 24 percent in the period, with construction started on 3.7 million square meters of property, up 140 percent from the year-ago period.

Editor: James Boynton