Blackstone

Citing strong performance this year by listed REITs, Blackstone’s president expects a private-sector recovery as soon as borrowing rates and volatility ‘start to settle down.’

The firm’s chairman and CEO said physical assets and asset-based credit are better protected from technological disruption than corporate credit.

The world’s largest real estate manager is set to get larger this year, with Blackstone president Jon Gray predicting increased capital deployment amid “tremendous momentum” for its property business to start 2026. Elsewhere, Madrid-based manager Stoneshield gets the year off to a flying start with its latest fund targeting the Southern European market; PERE’s latest investor survey shows growing confidence in private real estate; Brookfield returns to outdoor storage; a US pension hits obstacles in affordable housing, and more in this week’s digest, exclusively for our valued subscribers.

Hong Kong developer responds to report that the PE firm is in talks to become its largest shareholder.

The mega-manager has $53bn in dry powder to deploy into real estate equity and debt and sees listed platforms as prime targets.

The increase in fundraising activity was largely driven by Blackstone and Brookfield, which together raised more than $35bn last year.

Canada’s Sun Life Financial seizes the spotlight this week, as PERE reveals the insurance giant is embarking on an ambitious expansion of its private markets platform with a familiar face at the helm. Meanwhile, Blackstone unveils its latest take-private target in 155-year-old Hawaiian landlord Alexander & Baldwin; Mubadala and Aldar look to raise a $1bn Gulf-focused fund; KKR loses its European real estate head and taps two to replace him; and more in this week’s digest, exclusively for our valued subscribers.

Executives from La Caisse, Blackstone and Hines are as bullish as ever on the world’s largest office market, while CBRE co-CEO Adam Gallistel sees greener pastures in Europe.

Aggregate capital raised by the largest real estate funds closed dropped by a third from the same period last year.

The Los Angeles-based manager scored a $100m commitment to the value-add vehicle as part of a broader strategic partnership with GCM Grosvenor.

Tracy Stroh, who has been with the Singaporean sovereign fund for 25 years, will leave the business at the end of the month.

Boosting returns and scale at the world’s largest sovereign wealth fund is no easy feat. But the property boss is up to the task.

PERE’s annual ranking of private real estate fund managers active throughout the Asia-Pacific region.

With more projects getting blocked or delayed by legislative action, managers consider the ramifications for investment strategies.

The Toronto-based pension revealed over €1bn in previously undisclosed real estate commitments since July, including sizable checks to managers Aermont and Azora.

Although the aggregate capital raised was muted, about 70% of funds that closed in the first-half either reached or exceeded their target size at final close.