Sector Investment 24 Hours

Last updated: July 6, 2026, 2:32 AM ET

Real Estate Investment

Institutional investors are increasingly prioritizing operational real estate, a sector demanding active management, according to Lazard's private capital advisory group. This shift coincides with a resurgence in retail property investment, driven by a construction slowdown that has created an imbalance between limited supply and growing demand. Over the past three months, global retail M&A dealmaking has accelerated, with investors targeting dominant malls and open-air centers in a wave of blockbuster transactions. Convenience-oriented retail formats are particularly attracting capital, as necessity-led demand and restricted new supply reshape the investment thesis for the sector. While retail asset values remain below their peak, margins are compressing as consumers navigate economic shocks and a darkening e-commerce outlook, making necessity-based assets a revival point for global retail.