Australian REITs Set for Big Year of M&A in 2013, CLSA Says

Australian property trusts are set for a “big year” of mergers and acquisitions in 2013 after divesting overseas assets, said CLSA Asia Pacific Markets.

The S&P/ASX 200 REIT Index had a total return of 33 percent last year, compared with 20 percent for the benchmark S&P/ASX 200 Index, the biggest outperformance relative to equities after 2002, according to CLSA. The REIT index will have total return of 15 percent this year, according to CLSA’s forecast.