Automation, e-mobility and big data can completely change the game in logistics over the coming years. Martin Polák, Senior Vice President and Regional Head for CEE at Prologis talked to Property Forum about the future of European industrial and logistics markets.

Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets (MIRA), a division of the Macquarie Group, and GLL Real Estate Partners (GLL), the Munich-based real estate fund manager, announced they have signed an agreement which will see GLL become the real estate equity investment platform for MIRA in Europe and the Americas operating under its own brand. The terms of the transaction remain confidential.

The European retail market has changed drastically and market players looking to stay in the race need to invest in innovation. Although there is no definite recipe for success, the general consensus is that offline stores need to transform into places that provide an experience. Panellists at the RICS European Retail Conference 2018 in Milan provided an insight into the key industry developments

European office rental growth slowed to 0.4% over the quarter, though still posted a respectable 2.4% annualised growth. Budapest led the way with growth of 9.1% across the quarter, supported by strong demand, historically-low vacancy rates and a lack of Class A space. Demand for logistics space is supporting rental growth and driving yields lower across Europe, according to Cushman & Wakefield’s latest DNA of Real Estate report.

Retail is changing rapidly with e-commerce having already brought on the death of several shopping centres overseas. Europe is not exempt from this phenomenon, even though the market in general strongly differs from that of the U. S. An interview with Savino Natalicchio MRICS, Director of the Retail Business Unit at Duff & Phelps Real Estate Advisory Group’s Advisory and Valuation Department in Milan, who talked about the future of retail and changing shopping centre valuation practices.

Demand for flexible workspace across the world saw record growth in 2017, according to the latest research from Cushman & Wakefield. The firm’s Co-working 2018 report reveals the extent to which the sector has evolved and matured with the UK leading the way globally.

Prologis announced fourth quarter and full year 2017 activity in Europe. During the past year Prologis started 40 developments, totalling 917,500 square metres.

New research from JLL challenges traditional approaches to evaluating city competitiveness by encouraging the global real estate market to rethink city performance metrics. In World Cities: Mapping the Pathways to Success, published in conjunction with The Business of Cities, JLL delves into global cities’ performance to evaluate their strengths and opportunities for real estate investors, developers and corporate occupiers.

In Q3 2017 the largest increase in house prices was registered in the Czech Republic. According to fresh data published by Eurostat, Hungary also saw double-digit growth, while prices rose by 5-10% in Bulgaria, Slovenia, Slovakia and Romania

Blackstone Property Partners Europe Lower Fund 2 plans to acquire 24 logistics centres from Goodman. The buyer intends to buy assets and shares in several companies which own properties in Poland, France and Germany.