KUALA LUMPUR, July 30 (Bernama) -- Bursa Malaysia's key index closed at an intraday high today, supported by continued buying interest even as renewed geopolitical tensions and a weaker overnight lead from Wall Street following the US Federal Reserve's (Fed) decision to stand pat on interest rates weighed on broader sentiment. The Fed has decided to hold rates steady for the fifth consecutive meeting, with the Federal Funds Rate unchanged between 3.50 per cent and 3.75 per cent. At 5 pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) rose 4.84 points to 1,720.40 from yesterday’s close of 1,715.56. The benchmark index, which opened 1.14 points lower at 1,714.42, hit its lowest level of 1,710.69 in early trade before gaining momentum for the rest of the day. However, the broader market was negative with losers outpacing gainers 581 to 411, while 612 counters were unchanged, 1,173 untraded, and 87 suspended. Turnover declined to 2.49 billion units valued at RM2.25 billion from ...
Despite persistent headwinds from elevated interest rates and inflationary pressure, a few Singapore-listed REITs have continued to demonstrate resilience—preserving capital, sustaining distributions, and repositioning for long-term growth.
Investors eyeing stability with upside potential may want to take a closer look at these three outperformers in the S-REIT landscape.
1. Mapletree Industrial Trust (SGX: ME8U)
AUM: S$9.1 billion | Portfolio: 141 properties across Singapore, the US, and Japan
Mapletree Industrial Trust (MIT) continues to prove its mettle, supported by sponsor Mapletree Investments (S$80.3B AUM). For FY2025, MIT posted a 2.1% revenue increase to S$711.8M, with NPI at S$531.5M (+2%) and a slight DPU rise to 13.57 cents (+1%).
Despite North American data centre vacancies, the REIT is managing re-letting and asset repositioning effectively. The May 2025 divestment of three Singapore assets for S$535.3M helped lower leverage from 40.1% to 37%, while improving portfolio occupancy to 92%.
With a healthy 8.1% rental reversion in Singapore and active capital recycling, MIT remains well-positioned to ride out macro uncertainties.
2. CapitaLand Ascendas REIT (SGX: A17U)
AUM: S$16.9 billion | Portfolio: 226 properties globally
CapitaLand Ascendas REIT (CLAR), backed by CapitaLand Investment (S$117B FUM), delivered a 0.3% increase in 2024 DPU to 15.205 cents. Gross revenue climbed 2.9% YoY to S$1.52B, and its 1Q2025 update showed 91.5% occupancy and 11% rental reversion.
Two yield-accretive acquisitions in May 2025 are expected to boost DPU by 1.36%, while S$498.4M in redevelopment and enhancement projects are underway through 2028, pointing to sustained organic growth.
CLAR’s ability to execute on growth initiatives, while maintaining stable distributions, makes it a core REIT holding for institutional and retail portfolios alike.
3. Parkway Life REIT (SGX: C2PU)
AUM: Diversified healthcare assets across Singapore, Japan, and France
A top performer in healthcare REITs, Parkway Life REIT (PLife REIT) has consistently increased its core DPU since its 2007 IPO—a rare feat. Its 1Q2025 results showed a 7.5% rise in NPI and a 1.3% DPU increase to 3.84 cents.
The REIT recently completed a €112M acquisition of 11 French nursing homes, adding a third core market alongside Singapore and Japan. With low gearing at 36.1%, and interest cover at 9.3x, PLife REIT maintains financial flexibility and headroom for further accretive deals.
Its sponsor, IHH Healthcare, provides strong operational backing, making PLife a reliable dividend play with structural tailwinds from aging demographics.
Conclusion:
In a high-rate environment, Singapore’s strongest REITs are those that combine prudent capital management, strategic acquisitions, and steady cash flow visibility. MIT, CLAR, and Parkway Life REIT are demonstrating just that.
While the broader S-REIT index may face valuation pressure from macro volatility, selective exposure to these names could offer investors both yield stability and long-term growth potential.
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