iShares International Developed Real Estate ETF

IFGL

Market cap $95M

Three years of persistent rate-driven pressure on the residential and commercial real estate market appears to finally be abating - and not a moment too soon. REITs were hit by a "triple whammy" of rate-related headwinds: higher borrowing costs directly squeezed profitability, eroded the relative appeal of REIT dividends, and made it near-impossible to grow accretively. Since the Fed's initial rate hike in March 2022, REITs have lagged the S&P 500 by a whopping 55 percentage points, nearly 3x the magnitude of underperformance seen in the GFC.

U.S. equity markets notched another series of record highs this week, surging into the weekend after surprisingly dovish commentary from Federal Reserve Chair Powell, who hinted at imminent rate cuts. Powell used his final Jackson Hole speech as Fed Chair to deliver a clear policy pivot, an unexpected reversal after months of insistence that tariff-related inflation warranted a hawkish framework. Markets were equally relieved by the policy-focused nature of Powell's speech amid speculation that the address may be used instead as a potential defiant sermon on central bank independence.

U.S. equity markets fell sharply this week, while benchmark interest rates retreated to three-month lows, after revised employment data showed that job growth was far weaker than initially reported. The BLS payrolls report showed softer-than-expected hiring in July and the steepest two-month downward revisions to jobs growth since 2020, raising concern that the Fed may be "behind the curve." The downward revisions came days after Fed Chair Powell used it as the primary evidence for "solid" labor markets, which justified the FOMC's decision to keep rates in "restrictive" territory.

For income-focused investors willing to venture outside the United States, Canadian REITs offer appealing qualities as a potential portfolio diversifier alongside their larger and more established U.S. peers. Canadian REITs, on average, offer higher monthly dividend yields and trade at lower P/FFO multiples compared to their U.S. counterparts, but typically have weaker balance sheets with higher debt ratios. In this report, we take a quick look at 30 Canadian REITs and break down the industry on a sector-by-sector level. We also take a deep dive into H&R REIT.

REIT index performance can be a leading indicator for the asset class as a whole. Our latest Asset Allocation recorded a strong quarter for listed real estate, showing signs of long-awaited resurgence. REITs send encouraging signals. A deeper analysis of sectoral returns since the Great Financial Crisis reveals no clear pattern, vindicating broad sectoral exposure.