Coinciding with a significant rise in the level of activity within property markets in Asia, cross-border investment in the region soared during the third quarter of 2010. It accounted for USD3.1 billion of the total transaction volumes, signalling an 80 per cent rise quarter on quarter.
However, the figures, which were released within CB Richard Ellis' (CBRE) Asia Investment MarketView report for the three-month period, were still someway off the 2007 peak of USD6.3 billion.
Meanwhile, there was also a pick up in the level of investment by non-Asian buyers who spent an estimated USD1.7 billion, CBRE says. Investment activity by institutional investors and Real Estate Operating Companies also surged forward, with total investment volume reaching USD7.8 billion, up 66 per cent from a year previous.
"We saw noticeable improvement in investor sentiment and transaction volume in the third quarter but weakening economic indicators could still have negative impact on growth," said Andrew Ness, executive director of CBRE Research Asia. "In particular, risks associated with volatile exchange rates and monetary policy settings by major Asian governments remain a cause for concern."