Western Europe's tallest skyscraper, the Shard, built by Qatar's royal family, is now 50 percent let a year after its opening - a sign, analysts say, of an improving office rental market. Six new tenants mean that eight of 26 floors of offices in the tapering glass tower will be occupied this year, the Shard's real estate managers said on Thursday. Its 13 floors of apartments have yet to be offered to potential residents.Designed by architect Renzo Piano, its 72 habitable storeys house six companies including Qatar-based broadcaster Al Jazeera and the world's largest hospital group, Hospital Corporation of America.New York-based investment bank Duff & Phelps, an intellectual property law firm, a venture capital group and an energy company are the other tenants.It stands beside by a smaller office block called The Place, also designed by Piano, which will host media tycoon Rupert Murdoch's News Corp.
News Corporation is a diversified media and information services company. Shares of NWSA fell by 0.54% or $-0.095/share to $17.56. In the past year, the shares have traded as low as $14.39 and as high as $18.17. On average, 3982320 shares of NWSA exchange hands on a given day and today's volume is recorded at 93355.
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