Brief

Summary:

The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has published its first analysis of the European securities and markets and asset management sector's exposures to real estate. The analysis highlights that debt levels in the real estate sector are elevated, posing wider risk implications for non-bank financial market players. The sector's interlinkages with the banking system are important, and shocks may transmit across the EU financial system. Interest rate risk will continue to shape real estate market exposures. Credit risk indicators for real estate companies have started to show signs of deterioration, and liquidity mismatches remain a key vulnerability for real estate investment funds. The analysis also notes that real estate-related securities are used as collateral, and leverage of real estate firms has increased significantly over the past five years. ESMA will continue to monitor financial markets and is concerned about understanding the channels through which real estate markets affect financial markets and the wider economy.

The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA), the EU’s financial markets regulator and supervisor, is publishing its first analysis of the exposures the EU securities and markets and asset management sector have to real estate.

The analysis suggests that: 

  • Debt levels in the real estate sector are elevated with wider risk implications from non-bank financial market players. 
  • Interlinkages with the banking system are important and arise through entity exposures and activities. Through these, sector shocks may get transmitted across the EU financial system.

Going forward, interest rate risk can be expected to continue to shape real estate market exposures. Credit risk indicators for real estate companies have started to show signs of deterioration and liquidity mismatches remain a key vulnerability for real estate investment funds. 

In the study, ESMA provides details of the evolution of this sector over the past five years. In particular: 

  • There has been a broad-based valuation decline of the main equity and bond real estate indices. Valuation declines were also observed for listed real estate firms and real estate investment trusts along with increased trading activity and securities lending activity for these market participants. Real estate-related securities are also found to be used as collateral. 
  • Leverage of real estate firms increased significantly over the past five years.
  • Next to credit institutions, investment funds are important investors in the real estate sector. They also belong to the main counterparties of some real estate firms in derivatives and securities financing transactions.

Next steps

ESMA monitors financial markets on an on-going basis, in the interest of financial stability. Understanding the channels through which real estate markets affect financial markets and the wider economy is a key concern for policymakers and regulators.

 

Further information:

Aleksandra Bojanić

Senior Communications Officer
press@esma.europa.eu

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Highlights content goes here...

Summary:

The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has published an analysis of the exposure of the EU securities and markets and asset management sector to real estate. The analysis highlights several key findings and concerns regarding the sector’s debt levels, interlinkages with the banking system, and potential vulnerabilities.

Debt levels in the real estate sector are elevated, with non-bank financial market players contributing to the increase in risk. Interlinkages with the banking system are significant, primarily through entity exposures and activities, which could lead to sector shocks being transmitted across the EU financial system. The analysis also notes that interest rate risk will likely continue to shape real estate market exposures.

ESMA’s study highlights several trends and developments in the sector over the past five years, including a broad-based valuation decline of main equity and bond real estate indices, increased trading activity and securities lending, and the use of real estate-related securities as collateral. Leverage of real estate firms has also increased significantly over the past five years, with investment funds playing a significant role as investors and counterparties.

The analysis identifies several key vulnerabilities, including credit risk indicators for real estate companies showing signs of deterioration and liquidity mismatches remaining a key vulnerability for real estate investment funds.

In light of these findings, ESMA will continue to monitor financial markets to ensure financial stability and understand the channels through which real estate markets affect the wider economy. Policymakers and regulators will also benefit from ESMA’s analysis in informing their decision-making processes.

European Securities and Markets Authority

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