Iran war revives demand for REITs after IT-driven sell-off

Real estate investment trusts have held up better than the broader market so far this year

- abhinaba [e-mail]

War never brings good news. But the West Asian geopolitical crisis has halted an information technology (IT) sector-led selloff in domestic office real estate investment trusts (Reits) as investors flock toward defensive, income-generating assets amid volatility.

Reits have held up better than the broader market so far this year, falling around 2% on average year-to-date, while the benchmark Nifty 50 is down about 7%.

Analysts attribute this resilience to the quasi-debt nature of these trusts. Unlike most equities that typically depend on capital gains, Reits distribute 90% of their rental income, offering annual yields of about 6-7%, similar to the current benchmark 10-year government bond (G-sec).

“There is potential for capital appreciation too as rents grow and land values rise,” said Shobhit Agarwal, chief executive officer of Anarock Capital. “That can generate better long-term returns than fixed deposits. But right now it is a relatively safe place to park money until the geopolitical uncertainty subsides.”