Warehouse costs increased on average by 8.4% globally and by 6.7% in Europe, with Prague being an outlier, recording an increase of 35.8% in a year due to exceptionally low vacancy. The nationwide vacancy rate fell back to 1.4% in Q2 2022 and this is the lowest level in the market´s history, says Savills in its latest report.

The total volume of investment transactions in H1 2022 amounted to almost €2.9 billion, which was more than 40% more than in the same period last year. The high value of investments demonstrates investors' continued strong interest in Polish investment products in all major categories, despite the new geopolitical situation and the war in Ukraine. AXI IMMO experts analyze the situation of individual sectors in the investment market in the first half of 2022 in Poland.

As of summer 2022, leasing activity in the Kyiv office market was near a standstill and primarily driven by office optimization, as well as lease renewals and renegotiations of existing leases, according to the latest research of CBRE Ukraine. Whereas, as of the beginning of June, we observed a slight recovery in the level of office occupancy by employees who continued to work or who returned to Kyiv. Thus, typical office attendance among corporate occupiers was ca. 10% with many tenants in IT, high tech & telecommunications, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, agriculture, FMCG and industrial sectors planning to increase occupancy to 15%.

The warehouse sector in Poland remains in good shape after the first half of 2022. The market continues to see high tenant activity (3.7 million sqm; +12% y/y), generated mainly by e-commerce, retail chains, and logistics companies. At the end of June this year, developers delivered another 1.8 million sqm (+64% y/y), with the market still facing a shortage of vacant space. The high absorption rate is influencing decisions to start new investments. The result of 5.6 million sqm (+56% y/y) of projects currently under construction is the highest value recorded in the history of the entire sector. AXI IMMO summarizes the first half of the year in the warehouse market in the report "Polish Warehouse Market in H1 2022."

CA Immo has reported strong second-quarter results, continuing the positive business development of the previous quarters. In a challenging market environment, CA Immo increased its recurring earnings (FFO I) in the 1st half-year by 7.9% compared to the previous year, to €73.9 million. Rental income in the first six months was stable at €121.1 million (+1.0% y-o-y), reflecting recent portfolio additions and organic growth despite property sales. Consolidated net income improved by 28.5% to €220.1 million. Following the strong first half-year, CA Immo expects recurring earnings (FFO I) of more than €125 million in the 2022 business year.

In H1 2022, Immofinanz's rental income reached a high level of €144.2 million, the results of asset management improved by 3.0% to €110.0 million, and sustainable FFO 1 from the standing investment business rose by 6.1% to €78.7 million. Net profit equalled €162.7 million, whereby the first half of the previous year was influenced, above all, by a substantial revaluation of the investment in S Immo. With an equity ratio of 57.3% and conservative debt with a net LTV of 32.5%, Immofinanz has a strong capital base.

At the end of June 2022, the supply of modern retail space in the Czech Republic amounted to almost 3.97 million sqm. Shopping centres take about 67%, retail parks 31% and outlets the remaining 2% of the market. During the first six months of 2022, the retail park construction boom has not stopped yet and the retail market expanded by 19,500 sqm. Over the last five years, the share of retail parks has increased by 5%. The largest completed project in the first six months of this year was Shopping Centre Řepy in Prague. Another 52,300 sqm of retail space is currently under construction across 12 projects, of which 31,200 sqm is expected to be completed this year, says JLL in its retail market report for Q2 2022.

In H1 2022, GTC’s net profit amounted to €41 million in H1 2022 (compared to €21 million in H1 2021). This mainly resulted from a strong operating performance combined with profit from revaluation/impairment of assets and lower finance cost, partially offset by an increase in foreign exchange differences loss.

Existing income-producing assets with a reasonable capital value per sqm and strong tenants will be a winner for many investors in the upcoming period. Avison Young has published its CEE property investment market report for H1 2022.

According to a report prepared by Newmark Polska, at the end of the second quarter of 2022, Poland’s total warehouse and industrial stock amounted to over 26.1 million sqm, representing a 19.5% increase on the same period in 2021. New supply in the first half of the year surpassed 2.4 million sqm, of which close to 53% was delivered in the first three months, marking the best quarterly result in the history of the Polish market.