2019: A year Dominated by Geopolitics, Trade and Technology

2019 has been a challenging year for the Asia-Pacific real estate markets. Growth slowed as occupier and investment demand turned more cautious amidst the overhang of the US-China trade tensions, a global slowdown and uncertainty around prospects for 2020.

In terms of the major market segments:

• Asia-Pacific's Grade A office rental growth slowed to 0.6%* compared to 5.7% in 2018, with 12 out of 20 cities tracked still seeing stable or increased rents.
• Occupier demand continued to be led by technology-related companies, with several markets benefitting from these new sources of growth.
• Traditional retail markets continued to be challenged, while logistics and alternatives such as student housing saw buoyant demand from occupiers and investors.
• Overall investments in income-producing assets fell 22% year-on-year to US$144 billion across the region, although Singapore, Beijing and Shanghai saw a year-on-year increase in volumes.
• In the prime residential markets, Knight Frank recorded positive price growth in 16 of the 21 markets tracked compared to 18 in the prior year.