Insights

As vaccination rates increase around the world and we (hopefully) return to some normality in our daily lives, world economies appear to be stabilising. Economic output is near or above pre-pandemic levels, and signs of inflation and wage pressure have become a theme of 2021.

Imagine you are an office manager for a medium sized firm of 20 employees. Under normal circumstances, you and the staff would occupy around 400 sqm of office accommodation located in the CBD. But these are not normal circumstances. Lockdown orders mean that all staff are currently working from home.

We’ve often stated that real estate (listed and direct) tends to outperform equities during periods of high inflation and have previously cited the following chart as evidence of this dynamic.

The latest trends in housing, shopping, saving and interest rates – and what they mean for investors.

First quarter earnings are in, and profits are booming.

Consistent with trends in past budgets, the 2021 Federal Budget saw the Commonwealth Treasurer identify a further A$15.2 billion in new spending on major infrastructure projects, keeping the decade-long infrastructure investment program at A$110 billion. This will spearhead the Federal Government's efforts to boost both jobs and productivity in the COVID-affected national economy.

Over the past decade, ESG awareness, focus and reporting has been increasing among asset owners, companies, and investors alike. The global listed real estate industry is no different, and as investors in this space we have seen significant improvements in recent years in ESG disclosure and initiatives.

It’s that time in the cycle again. US bond markets and commentors are worried about inflation. But with US unemployment at 6.2%, should this be a concern?

While the speed of ultimate decarbonisation remains unclear, there appears to be a real opportunity for multi-decade investment as every country moves towards a cleaner environment.