U.S. REITs rose 1.84 percent in August, according to the FTSE Nareit Equity REITs Index, with most property types showing positive movement in the month. In comparison, the S&P 500 Index recorded a gain of 2.90 percent in August.
The strongest performances were recorded by regional mall REITs, which advanced 6.23 percent in the month, and self-storage REITs, with a gain of 5.27 percent. The only property sectors to show a decline in August were healthcare (down 2.67 percent), office (down 1.96 percent) and diversified (down 0.05 percent).
In the first eight months of the year, REITs are up 30.17 percent, with the strongest year-to-date performances coming from regional malls (up 60.16 percent), self-storage (up 51.52 percent) and shopping centers (up 49.55 percent).
The retail sector has been supported by strong retail sales, consumer demand and an improving economy, while the