Asian capital flow into Europe is booming, slowly shifting towards Eastern Europe
According to Savills’ first estimations, Asian investment in Europe since the beginning of the year reached €23.2bn in Q3. This is a 57% increase compared to the same period last year and the trend is set to further accelerate.
That is explained by the fact that such an apex is notably due to the large pan-European Logicor logistics portfolio sold by Blackstone to China Investment Corp (CIC) for €12.12bn, which will mark the largest investment transaction in European real estate history.
The UK and Germany absorbing 65% of all Asian investment
Most Asian investors focus on UK and Germany, which accounted 53% and 12% respectively of the total Asian money recorded in Europe over the past 12 months.
Asian investors’ target is also slowly moving towards Eastern Europe. The volume is particularly high in the Czech Republic, thanks to two large deals signed at the end of last year; the acquisition by Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund GIC of P3 Logistic Parks for €375m and the acquisition by CEFC China Energy co of the Florentinium office building in Prague for €281m. Growing interest was also recorded in Poland, Romania and Slovakia.
Asian Investments in Romania target mainly residential projects
In Romania, the value of the purchased assets by CIC in Bucharest, Ploiesti and Timisoara from Blackstone in Europe’s largest deal in history, was €48 million.
In terms of real estate investments in Romania, “the interest of Chinese investors for the local market is focused mainly on the residential segment, expressed by securing land that allows the development of “city-in-city” type of projects. The size of a project is the essential criterion for making a positive decision to invest in the real estate market in Romania. The bigger the project, the higher the interest. I have not yet noticed any interest for purchasing office buildings or other equivalent products” said Codrin Matei, Managing Partner and Head of Office, Capital Markets and Business Development at Crosspoint Real Estate.
Office and logistics take the lead, interest for retail has vanished
While the strong appetite for offices remained relatively unchanged – accounting for 52% of all Asian investment in Europe over the past 12 months, interest for retail assets nearly vanished (2% over the past 12 months against 41% in 2007). At the same time, their logistics investment in European increase substantially and accounted for 18% over the past 12 months, compared to 3% in 2007. This new allocation from retail to logistics is reflecting the growth of e-commerce and the consequent need for distribution centres.
Why is the European property market becoming a magnet for Asian investors?
First and the main reason is to catch the property cycle. Business sentiment is rising and unemployment is falling across Europe. Business expansion continues to drive office demand while office vacancies are falling in all European capital city markets.
Secondly, yields in Europe is also comparatively attractive for Asian investors. Additionally, portfolio diversification is a strategy to balance risk and optimise return. Finally, Trump’s election to the US presidency also played a positive role in making Europe a preferred arena for Asian’s outbound investment.
According to Savills, despite the new tight financial regulation, Chinese investment activity in Europe will not lose its momentum. It will become however more strategic and in line with the government’s key policy initiates such as the One Belt One Road. As Hong Kong maintains strict judicial independence from the mainland, it will increasingly play a role as China’s global financial intermediary.
Media sources:
www.newmoney.ro
www.mediaimage.ro
www.capital.ro
www.profit.ro
adevarul.ro
www.agendaconstructiilor.ro
znews24.com
www.diacaf.com
Arena Construct – Investitorii asiatici, interesati de proiecte rezidentiale in Romania
BURSA-Estimari Savills: Investitia asiatica in Europa a atins 13, 5 miliarde de euro, anul acesta
Curierul National, 2017-10-13 – Investițiile asiatice în Europa sunt în plină expansiune şi se îndreaptă treptat şi către Europa de Est
Wall-street.ro – Piata imobiliara din Romania, in calea asaltului investitorilor chinezi
