Eisner predicts future of internet at C&W forum.

The Internet's ability to deliver media content of all types continues to increase at a breathtaking pace, Michael Eisner, former chairman and chief executive officer of the Walt Disney Company, said today at the Cushman & Wakefield Forum held in Manhattan.

The annual event, "From New York to the World," was held at the New York Hilton Hotel, and was attended by more than 750 of New York City's most influential real estate business leaders.

Eisner, host of CNBC's Conversations with Michael Eisner, keynoted the event.

The development and spread of peer-to-peer, or P2P, sharing is being used by companies to provide higher-quality, long-form videos and other information over the Internet, and will quickly add to traditional communications, said Eisner, who recently formed a new company, Tornante, that is investing in such technology.

Christopher Lowery, Cushman & Wakefield's chief executive officer of Global Capital Markets and Principal Activities, and Joe Harbert, the firm's chief operating officer for the New York Metro Region, provided an overview of global real estate markets and an analysis and forecast for the Manhattan investment and office leasing market.

"Our Forum gives major industry leaders and executives an insight into the real drivers of our Manhattan marketplace within the context of the global marketplace," said Bruce Mosler, president and chief executive officer of Cushman & Wakefield. "We examine who is investing, why they are investing, and more importantly from a macro-economic standpoint, what could affect the performance of Manhattan's economy in the future."

Lowery, who concentrated his presentation on the global, national and Manhattan economy and investment climate, said, "given the rate of global economic growth, it's not surprising that almost all real estate markets are on the upswing." He added that global investment in real estate in 2005 reached a record $522 billion.

"The Manhattan market, in particular, experienced a record-setting year," said Mr. Lowery.

"Almost $21 billion in trades were executed and the pace has continued unabated into 2006, with first quarter volume of $2.7 billion, up almost 29 percent from the same period last year."

According to Harbert, who addressed the national and Manhattan leasing markets, "New York and Washington, D.C. continue to outperform other major cities."

Noting the tightening Manhattan market, and that half of the top 10 deals completed there during the first quarter of 2006 were renewals, Mr. Harbert suggested that tenants "perceive their options to be limited and are seeking to secure both price and growth options by staying in their current locations."