Data published by international property portal Juwai IQI shows enquiries dived by more than 65% in May compared with April when enquiries increased as Australia emerged from the throes of the COVID-19 pandemic, reports Reuters (18 June 2020). May's slump could be attributed to Australia's push for an investigation into the origins of the novel coronavirus, first detected in China late last year, drawing the ire of Beijing which then threatens economic reprisals. A prolonged slump in interest from China's real estate buyers could hurt Australia's economy as Mainland China has been a major source of foreign real estate investment."If the situation doesn't escalate further, things will stabilise," said Juwai IQI executive chairman Georg Chmiel. "So long as it isn't prolonged, as long as it isn't systemic."