gulfnews : Regional mall rent drop reported

Did retail rentals in the Middle East buck the global trend and actually go through another round of decline in the first six months of the year? The answer varies depending on who the question is put to.

According to a new Cushman & Wakefield report which tracks the global trends in the retail space over the first-half of the year, mall and shopping centre lease rates in the Middle East "failed to match the positive trend seen elsewhere". In fact, the overall growth stagnated at the levels seen in 2009 and 2010.

"In contrast to the rebound observed in other regions, prime rents either fell or remained stable in most cases," the report added.

* username: rupertbu