The growth of the REIT structure globally presents both opportunities and challenges to investors and emerging REITs. Let’s take a look at the major REIT markets around the world, as well as the potential emergence of India’s first REIT.

Key regions to watch

REIT markets around the globe have seen immense growth recently (see “Global REIT markets”, page 26). The cumulative market capitalisation of REITs worldwide is approaching US$2 trillion, and 35 countries now have active REIT legislation, including 25 nations with at least one actively-traded REIT. With the growing momentum for REITs, the United States, the United Kingdom, continental Europe and Asia are key regions to watch.

In the United States, one trend to monitor is the disconnect in pricing between the public and private real estate markets. As of 1 December 2018, the major sector REITs traded at a 10 percent discount relative to the private market value of their underlying ass