Cross-border investment in U.S. industrial assets reaches record levels

With more than $143 billion in transactions, investor demand in industrial assets in the United States soared to new heights in 2021, up 32 percent over 2019’s previous high-water mark, according to JLL. Cross-border investors accounted for a record-setting $19.5 billion of that activity, up 152 percent year-over-year, signaling the strength of the U.S. industrial sector and the overall economy.

Five countries account for 91 percent of 2021’s total cross-border transaction volume. Boosted by GIC’s $6.8 billion portfolio purchase from EQT Exeter in the fourth quarter, Singapore led with 57 percent of the transactions, followed by Canada with 21 percent, or $4.1 billion. Bahraini, French and South Korean investors also funneled a significant amount of capital into the industrial sector.

“Capital typically follows strong property fundamentals, and the strength of underlying property fundamentals has helped investors offset inflation fears, driving a record level o