Can REIT yields sustain?

Scomi Engineering Bhd launched Indias maiden monorail service, the Mumbai Monorail, on Sunday. The first phase connects Wadala to Chembur, and transported some 40,000 passengers during the first two days of operation

WILL yields of Malaysian real estate investment trusts (REITS) come under pressure because of lower rents and rising interest rates? That depends on how the data is interpreted. There is some evidence that rentals of properties ranging from offices to factories are being renewed at lower rates as leases end although at the beginning of the year, the expectation was for an average 6.3% yield for the year.

REITS experts say the total returns should be calculated on their unit price gains together with the yield. For July, local REITS had an average yield of 5.801% versus 5.507% in January.