Exploring sentiment-driven trading behaviour of different types of investors in the London office market

We investigates the sentiment-driven trading behaviour of the four types of investors in the London office market, i.e. UK institutional investors, UK private investors, UK listed real estate companies/Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT)s and overseas investors. In addition, we examine the relationship between investor sentiment and property performance. Related indices are calculated to examine the existence of herding behaviour of different investors. We find that UK private investors follow a contrarian strategy to UK institutional investors and listed real estate companies/REITs and enter/exit the market at different points of time. UK institutional investors tend to follow the sentiment of UK listed real estate companies/REITs and overseas investors with lags. There is no evidence that overseas investors rely upon the sentiment of UK specialised property investors in their decision-making. We find the sentiment of different investors is influenced differently by market fundamentals. Yield and rental growth rate have significant impact on trading activity of overseas investors, but not on other investors. The stock market return and securitised real estate return have significant impact on the trading activity of UK institutional investor and overseas investor, but have no significant influence on the trading behaviour of UK private investor and listed real estate company/REIT.     

Real estate market efficiency

Summary

The application of modern portfolio theory to the investment in shares and bonds is integrally connected with the efficient market hypothesis. The requirement of multivariate normality of security returns is a sufficient condition for equilibrium asset pricing models such as the capital asset pricing model to theoretical work. Nevertheless the empirical relevance in decision making is firmly based on the efficiency of the capital market. If real estate investors are to avail themselves of these techniques it is first necessary to ensure the requirements of the efficient market hypothesis are satisfied in the context of the property market. This paper reports the results of such an inquiry into the British and Australian real estate markets.     

Do ‘foreigners’ pay more? The effects of investor type and nationality on office transaction prices in New York City

Are commercial real estate prices in metropolitan New York affected by the type or nationality of the investors involved in a transaction? Previous research has highlighted differences in pricing between in-state and out-of-state investors and between different types of investors, but there are few extant studies that consider the influence of nationality on pricing at a micro-level. Foreign investors might pay more than domestic investors for commercial real estate assets because of a lack of information or experience in the market concerned. However, they might use local partners or brokers to mitigate such problems. To explore these issues, we use data provided by Real Capital Analytics on over 3000 office transactions in the New York metro area from 2001 to 2015. We use hedonic regression techniques and propensity score matching to examine whether pricing differs across investor groups after controlling for asset attributes. We find that foreign investors pay more than domestic investors at acquisition, but receive more when selling assets. Tests suggest that it is unmeasured aspects of quality that explain any apparent overpayment for offices in this location, not information issues.     

Determinants of transaction activity in commercial real estate markets: evidence from European and Asia-Pacific countries

Variations in transaction activity between commercial real estate markets could have important implications for investment strategies and pricing. We consider why turnover rates, a common liquidity proxy, vary between countries and over time. We examine 38 countries in Europe and Asia-Pacific over the period 2000–2014. A conceptual framework is discussed prior to estimation of panel models that use turnover rates as the dependent variable. Our results indicate that the size and wealth of a country, the risk associated with that country and the performance of its commercial real estate market are significant factors that explain transaction activity. The quality of property rights is also an important factor.     

The 4% rule: Does real estate make a difference?

This paper examines the wealth maximisation and preservation effects of including commercial real estate in retirement-phase portfolio management. Prior research addresses the role of real estate during the wealth-accumulation phase of the investor lifecycle; however, little is known about the contribution of real estate during the invest-and-spend, or decumulation, phase. To address this issue, we estimate short-fall risk based on the widely known 4% Rule. We use pricing data for multiple asset classes and simulation techniques, combined with a robust correlation structure, to examine: short-fall risk sensitivity to alternative spending rules; the impact of public vs. private real estate allocations; wealth preservation as an investment objective; and the effect of real estate on upside, or wealth maximisation, potential. We find short-fall risk in a decumulation portfolio decreases with substantial allocations to real estate. This result holds for a portfolio including either public or private real estate. Additionally, and under most conditions, the best performing decumulation-phase portfolios include a real estate allocation with both public and private real estate exposure. These results have significant implications for investors, whether they be retirees, plan administrators or endowments, as well as financial economists studying the lifecycle of investment decisions.     

Time to completion in the Lagos commercial real estate market: an examination of institutional effects

This study explores how institutions affect the process of investment and the time it takes to buy and sell commercial property in Lagos, Nigeria. We isolate institutional factors that impact transaction efficiency and provide a snapshot of the process with average transaction times for the largest commercial real estate market in the most populous country in Africa. This study adopts a qualitative approach and relies on information collected from semi-structured interviews with 36 senior level individuals active in the Lagos commercial real estate market. Among our findings, we note the commercial real estate transaction process is divided into seven distinct stages and the average time to complete an acquisition across all stages (all property types) is 306 days. Title registration/perfection stage takes the longest time (around 132 days) and represents a significant risk to investors. We argue this is a consequence of imperfections in the formal institutions of title registration.     

Real estate sentiment as information for REIT bond pricing

For corporate bond investors, credit ratings have been found to be informationally insufficient due to their limited timeliness and accuracy. This paper investigates the information content of forward-looking commercial real estate investor sentiment for pricing decisions of US REIT bond investors. Using an unbalanced panel data-set for the post-crisis period (2010–2013) and Prais–Winsten regression correcting for contemporaneous and serial correlation, sentiment is found to have a negative effect on REIT bond yields irrespective of S&P index inclusion or credit rating. The effect of sentiment, however, is larger for REITs that are not included in S&P indices than for S&P REITs. Explanations for this finding include institutional investor and REIT characteristics.     

跨国房地产投资的动因及其风险分析

随着经济全球化的不断深入以及新兴国家房地产业的火爆发展,房地产投资全球化发展的趋势将不可逆转。在当前国际经济一体化环境下,跨国房地产投资主要动因是扩大市场机会、追求高额收益和分散风险;总体来看,跨国房地产投资的风险:一是国家风险,二是市场风险,三是交易风险。文章指出新兴国家在保护国内房地产业和国民经济发展的宏观调控上,必须要引起足够的重视,并对新兴国家的宏观调控提出了两方面的建议。     

Are Russian Wheat Exporters Able to Price Discriminate? Empirical Evidence from the Last Decade

Significant changes have taken place in the world wheat market in the last decade. Russia, a former net wheat importer, has become a leading exporter with a world market share of 11.2% in 2009. This increasing importance and the discussion about the establishment of a grain‐OPEC consisting of Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Russia has raised the issue of pricing behaviour of Russian wheat exporters. Although there are several studies on the pricing behaviour of Canadian and US wheat exporters, there is none so far for Russian wheat exporters. This study provides a quantitative analysis of the pricing behaviour of Russian wheat exporters, explicitly taking account of the export tax imposed between 2007 and 2008. We employ a pricing‐to‐market (PTM) model on quarterly Russian wheat‐export data, covering the period from 2002 to 2010 and 25 export destinations. Our findings indicate that (i) Russian wheat exporters exercised PTM in only a few importing countries over the whole time period, and (ii) PTM behaviour was more pronounced in the aftermath of the export tax period (i.e. 2008–2010) than before.     

The role of macro-economic indicators in explaining direct commercial real estate returns: evidence from South Africa

This study investigates the role of macro-economic indicators in explaining direct real estate returns in South Africa (SA). Literature review is conducted to identify factors that drive direct commercial real returns and the identified drivers are tested in an emerging market. The study applies SA annual commercial real estate returns including total returns, rental growth and capital growth published by the Investment Property Databank (IPD) over the past 20 years, from 1995 to 2014, as an independent variable. The most dominant and significant factors that explain total returns across all property types and provinces in South Africa are GDP, unemployment rates and interest rates which are macro-economic indicators. Our study finds key differences between the determinants of total return and change in capital values which are different from the variables which determine rental growth – the results also highlight the heterogeneity and complexity of real estate returns. These results are important for asset managers as well as government regulatory agencies to make better informed decisions in relation to factors which affect direct real estate returns in an emerging economy.     

Pricing to market behaviour of India's high value agri‐food exporters: an empirical analysis of major destination markets

The pricing behaviour of India's high value agricultural and food exporters in their major destination markets is examined using a pricing‐to‐market (PTM) model for noncompetitive and exchange rate related pricing behaviour. The analysis was undertaken in a context where India is showing high commodity concentration in agricultural trade. The econometric analysis employed is panel corrected standard errors (PCSE) estimation technique. The results indicated evidence of a greater degree of imperfect competition either through price discrimination across destinations or through imperfect exchange rate pass‐through. The analysis of exchange rate effects showed that the local currency price stabilization by the Indian exporters were more prominent than the amplification of exchange rates. The analysis of the asymmetric effects of exchange rates on export prices showed that in most cases the depreciation of Indian rupee had a greater impact than the appreciation. Moreover the results showed that the exchange rate pass‐through is sensitive to the kind of exchange rate index utilised. In our analysis we found that the commodity specific exchange rate better predicts the pricing to market behaviour in most cases.     

Predicting uncertainty: the impact of risk measurement on value of real estate portfolios

This paper presents a theoretical framework for an assessment and valuation of real estate assets and funds, based on modern stochastic discounted cash flow (DCF) models, which accurately captures the nature of related risks. We show that an accurate risk-adjusted valuation is particularly difficult for real estate investments, due to practical limits to diversification and difficulties in approximating total risk with systematic risk. We develop a risk assessment framework that includes idiosyncratic risk but focuses on insolvency risk related to a specific cash flow profile. We also present a methodology of rating this risk, using forecasts and simulations. We conclude that simulation techniques are a valuable tool in property risk assessment. Further, we show that cost of capital and value of assets depend on diversification of specific risks, investors can achieve in their portfolios.     

Coping with systemic risk in index‐based crop insurance

The implementation of index‐based crop insurance is often impeded by the existence of systemic risk of insured losses. We assess the effectiveness of two strategies for coping with systemic risk: regional diversification and securitization with catastrophe (CAT) bonds. The analysis is conducted in an equilibrium pricing framework which allows the optimal price of the insurance and the number of traded contracts to be determined. We also explore the role of basis risk and risk aversion of market agents. The model is applied to a hypothetical area yield insurance for rice producers in northeast China. If yields in two regions are positively correlated, we find that enlarging the insured area leads to higher insurance premiums. Unless capital market investors are very risk averse, a CAT bond written on an area yield index outperforms regional diversification in terms of certainty equivalents of both farmers and insurers.     

Co-movement between the US and the securitised real estate markets of the Asian-Pacific economies

The novelty of this study is the use of continuous wavelet transform analysis of wavelet coherence, as well as its partial and multiple forms, to revisit the co-movements of Asian-Pacific public real estate markets among themselves and with the US, for a time span which covers the 12 January 1995–23 June 2016 period. Earlier research does not have satisfactory results because traditional methods average different relationships in time domain only. From the wavelet analysis, investors can extract the time-scale that most interests them. We find that the co-movement relationship across the real estate markets increases during the two major crisis period, as well as becomes stronger as the scale increases. Hong Kong and Singapore have the strongest time-scale co-movement relationship. Finally, the influence of domestic macroeconomic factors on real estate return co-movement appears to be greater at the long-term horizons than at the short-term horizons.     

中国房地产市场弱式有效性的实证研究

研究目的:实证分析中国房地产市场有效性的水平。研究方法:根据萨缪尔森和费马的市场有效性假设对中国房地产市场的有效性进行检验。采用自相关性分析、工具变量法求解联立方程、VAR模型等进行统计检验并对结果进行分析。研究结论:中国房地产市场尚未达到弱式有效。     

回归理性,促进房地产市场平稳健康发展

房地产市场是经济市场和金融市场的重要组成部分,由于房地产产业特征决定房地产市场在国民经济中的地位和作用,是构建和谐社会的重要内容。目前因整个房地产市场已融入经济市场和金融市场,投资性和投机性需求是抬高房价的重要原因,应回归市场理性,采取多种方式促进房地产市场平稳健康发展,达到人人都有房住的目的。     

Price Discrimination in Russian Wheat Exports: Evidence from Firm‐level Data

Russia emerged as an important wheat exporter in recent years raising the question of how this will affect international wheat markets. In particular developing countries – the main destination of Russian wheat exports – could be harmed by aggressive pricing behaviour. This article analyses the exertion of price discrimination by Russian wheat exporting firms based on Krugman's pricing‐to‐market hypothesis. We apply Knetter's panel model to a firm‐level dataset and find evidence for price‐discriminating behaviour by Russian firms in 25 out of 61 destination countries over the period 2002–2011.     

我国房地产泡沫形成的原因及对策分析

改革开放以来,中国的房地产业得到了迅猛的发展。目前,房地产业成为整个社会财富的重要构成,成为推动工业化和城镇化的重要力量,但房地产市场的蓬勃发展与急剧转型,出现了房地产市场泡沫经济现象。基于实证研究结论,通过分析我国房地产发展现状及我国房地产市场泡沫的成因,以典型城市的房地产市场泡沫数据为依托,从银行的角度,针对防范房地产泡沫提出了实行紧缩的房地产信贷政策,调整房地产信贷结构,加强房地产信贷监管等对策和建议。     

Asset Pricing in Created Markets

We investigate the applicability of the present-value asset pricing model to fishing quota markets by applying instrumental variable panel data estimation techniques to 15 years of market transactions from New Zealand's individual transferable quota (ITQ) market. In addition to the influence of current fishing rents, we explore the effect of market interest rates, risk, and expected changes in future rents on quota asset prices. The results indicate that quota asset prices are positively related to declines in interest rates, lower levels of risk, expected increases in future fish prices, and expected cost reductions from rationalization under the quota system.     

Pricing‐To‐Market Analysis: The Case of EU Wheat Exports

The EU is a major player in the global wheat market. This paper examines the pricing behaviour of EU wheat exporters using a pricing‐to‐market (PTM) analysis. Wheat is an exemplary product for testing PTM theories as it is widely and frequently traded, and largely unbranded. We estimate the relationship between export unit values and exchange rates using quarterly panel data for 11 EU export destinations for 2000–2013. Results show that there is a meaningful long‐run relationship between export unit values and exchange rates, but there is little evidence of differential mark‐ups between EU export markets. Belarus and Iceland are exceptions where exporters from the EU appear to exercise local currency price stabilisation.