Sector Investment 3 Days

Last updated: April 18, 2026, 2:30 PM ET

Real Estate Fundraising Shifts

Private equity real estate fundraising experienced a sharp contraction in the first quarter of 2026, with overall volume falling 50% year-on-year, signaling a significant cooling from prior years. Despite the reduced total capital raised, the environment showed signs of efficiency, as a greater proportion of funds successfully met or surpassed their fundraising targets and achieved final close in shorter timeframes. This structural shift is largely attributable to the market absence of giants like Blackstone and Brookfield, whose withdrawal has created space for smaller, emerging managers to secure commitments more rapidly. Against this backdrop of realignment, CBRE Investment Management is actively seeking to re-engage in specific strategies, creating a dedicated leadership role for former Hines executive Paul White to spearhead growth within its European value-add offerings, targeting the Europe Value Partners series which has seen no new fund since 2018.

Infrastructure & Risk Perception

Market participants in the infrastructure space are being warned about potentially underestimating geopolitical instability, particularly concerning risks emanating from the Iran war, according to I Squared founder Sadek Wahba. Wahba expressed caution regarding the current fervor surrounding the artificial intelligence infrastructure boom, suggesting that investors might be "sleepwalking" through tangible external threats. Meanwhile, the sector’s analytical capacity is set to expand following the formal acquisition of Scientific Infra & Private Assets, a move that promises to deepen quantitative insights across PEI and Infrastructure Investor's market coverage .