The fact that Budapest is competing for the right to host the 2024 Summer Olympics and Paralympics has now Been decided, as the capital submitted the initial application materials in the middle of February. The next big question is, will the choice of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) really fall on Budapest, and if so, will the city manage to prepare for the games in time and in a sustainable manner.

The size of office space lease and sale transactions in Moscow involving foreign companies decreased from 40% to 20% in Q1 2016 compared to Q4 2015. Although foreign companies continue to sign new deals, they are choosing smaller offices and re-negotiating current leases to decrease the amount of occupied space, according to a report by the international consulting company Colliers international.

According to the latest RICS Commercial Property Monitor, occupier and investment sentiment continues to be broadly positive in Central and Eastern Europe for Q1 2016. Sentiment in both the Occupier and Investment markets registered a positive value across Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Romania. At the same time RICS has published its Croatia Commercial Property Monitor for the first time.

According to Cushman & Wakefield, strong investment activity in the core Central European markets of Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Romania continued in the first quarter of 2016, with EUR 1.4 billion invested. The slight decrease in transaction volume of 5% compared to the corresponding period of 2015 was smaller than the 14% fall recorded for Europe overall. Q1 activity was also above the long-run average of EUR 1.2 billion since 2007.

According to Colliers International's latest market research the Croatian real estate market experienced several significant investments in the retail, office and hotel and hospitality sectors in 2015. While the retail and office segments are experiencing upward pressure on rental prices, the industrial market, despite being the least developed sector, saw increased activity.

The vacancy rate in the Czech Republic industrial market reached 4.2%, having decreased by 96 bps since Q4 2015. The Industrial Research Forum has announced its final industrial market figures for Q1 2016. 

Vacancy rates have further declined on the Budapest office market as a result of modest development activity and strong demand from tenants. The Budapest Research Forum has published its quarterly office market analysis.