MIXED OUTLOOK FOR ASIA-PACIFIC REAL ESTATE MARKETS, SAYS DEUTSCHE REPORT

Strengthened rental growth for offices in Beijing and Shanghai and lower returns for Singapore and Hong Kong are the lead findings in the latest Asia-Pacific Real Estate Strategic Outlook report.

The Deutsche Asset and Wealth Management report predicts strengthened rental growth for offices in mainland China based on demand from the services sector, increasing financial liberalisation and multinational firms. Increasing supply and a rise in United States interest rates will drive lower returns in Singapore and Hong Kong, it says. In Australia, lower returns are seen in the mining sector-led markets of Brisbane and Perth. Deutsche AWM Asia-Pacific head of research and strategy Koichiro Obu says capital markets remained strong in the region, even in the face of softer leasing markets. “We are expecting strengthening demand for space in much of Asia-Pacific, although new supply in Singapore and Hong Kong and reduced demand from the mining sector in Australia are risks,” he said.