Skip to main content

COVID-19 scarring slow to heal

Effective vaccines provide a path out of the COVID-19 economic slump, but commercial property will be slow to benefit. On the bright side, the real estate downturn has been milder than expected and we appear to be past the worst. But we think yields will stay elevated, and that all-property rents will decline further and capital values will stabilise in 2021. And even as the economy returns to normal, it will bring only an insipid property recovery, with office and retail sectors dogged by structural change. This means that industrial performance continues to stand out, topping the rankings for returns over a five-year horizon.

Become a client to read more

This is premium content that requires an active Capital Economics subscription to view.

Already have an account?

You may already have access to this premium content as part of a paid subscription.

Sign in to read the content in full or get details of how you can access it

Register for free

Sign up for a free account to gain:

  • Unlock additional content
  • Register for Capital Economics events
  • Receive email updates and economist-curated newsletters
  • Request a free trial of our services


Get access