Us leads growth in global commercial real estate investment

Commercial real estate investment grew 4 per cent in the first three months of 2015 compared to the same month in 2014, according to JLL.

The Americas are leading the growth, with volumes soaring 18 per cent year-on-year. That rise is fuelled by the US, which saw volumes leap 26 per cent, offsetting declines in Latin America and Canada.

Volumes from Asia Pacific rose 3 per cent, numbers in EMEA fell 11 per cent in US dollar terms but are 8 percent higher in local currency terms, reflecting the strength of the US dollar against many global currencies currently.

"The strong dollar is also influencing activity in the Euro Zone, Japan and Australia, where local market activity has increased but whose currencies have all weakened against the US dollar over the past year," says Arthur de Haast, Lead Director, International Capital Group, JLL.

JLL expects total commercial real estate volumes for 2015 to be between US$740 billion and US$760 billion, up 4.0 percent over 2014 volumes.