Cushman & Wakefield has summarised the first quarter of 2021 in the CEE commercial real estate market. Investment volume at the end of the first quarter stands at €2 billion, down by around 20% compared to the same period in 2020.

According to Savills, the food sector is becoming the new core in retail property investment. Last year, for the first time, investments in supermarkets, hypermarkets and food discount stores accounted for a record 21% of total European retail activity, up from a five year average of 7%.

The Tristar project, a joint venture between Tristan EPISO 4 and White Star Real Estate gets new tenants in its warehouses in Poland. The company is also focusing on signing lease renewals with key tenants.

London & Cambridge Properties (LCP) has completed the purchase of a retail park in Strzelce Opolskie, Southern Poland. It is already the 64th convenince store in the group's investment portfolio.

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has successfully subscribed to a €67 million ticket as part of an inaugural eight-year €600 million green bond issuance by VGP NV, a pan-European provider of logistics and semi-industrial real estate. EBRD’s investment will support the development of sustainable semi-industrial and logistics parks in Hungary, Latvia, Romania and the Slovak Republic.

Wood & Company, together with its JV partner Tatra Asset Management, has announced the acquisition of the Aupark Bratislava shopping centre in Slovakia from Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield. The completion of the transaction is expected during the first half of this year and is subject to standard conditions precedent, such as competition clearance.

Growthpoint Properties Limited, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and Oak Hill Advisors responded to the unilateral announcement by CPI Property Group and Aroundtown of a firm intention to make a cash offer for the share capital of Globalworth.

Apx Hotels Group has expanded its portfolio with a new 4-star hotel in the historic centre of Sibiu, following the acquisition of former Libra hotel in a deal worth €1.85 million. Crosspoint Real Estate assisted the buyer.

GTC has decided to boost its Hungarian portfolio again by investing €160 million in the acquisition of two office properties in Budapest, the Ericsson HQ and the Siemens Evosoft HQ, both developed by local company Wing.

Wołoska 24, an office building developed by Ghelamco has a new owner. It is a Czech investment fund, ZFP realitní Fond, managed by ZFP Investments which is a subsidiary of Slovakia's IAD Investments. The value of the transaction amounted to over €60 million.