In 2021, the benchmark iEdge S-Reit Index generated 6.2 per cent total returns and the S-Reit and property trusts sector as a whole received S$1.4 billion of net retail inflows while institutional investors have seen net outflows of S$1.0 billion.

Throughout the year, 24 S-Reits announced asset acquisitions valued at more than S$15.3 billion and exceeding S$12.7 billion in total purchase price consideration.

Mapletree Logistics Trust, Ascott Residence Trust and Ascendas India Trust were the most active S-REITs in terms of asset acquisitions last year, totalling purchase consideration of more than S$2.2 billion, S$780 million and S$400 million respectively.

Recent S-REIT acquisitions announced in the month of December 2021 totalled S$1.2 billion in purchase consideration and were made by Ascott Residence Trust, CapitaLand Integrated Commercial Trust, First REIT and ParkwayLife REIT.

These Reits acquired assets across a variety of segments including student accommodations, office, retail and nursing homes.

In 2021, Mapletree Logistics Trust (MLT) made several acquisitions in the logistics sector throughout the globe including South Korea, India, Singapore, Australia, Malaysia, China, Vietnam and Japan.

In November 2021, MLT announced the acquisition of logistics assets in China, Vietnam and Japan, valued at more than S$1.4 billion in total - its largest acquisition announcement of the year.

The trust noted that the pandemic has highlighted the importance of logistics and placed a greater emphasis on supply chain resiliency, fuelling demand for modern logistics space.

Hence, it believes that the acquisitions of these modern Grade-A logistics assets will position it well to capture these structural trends.

Ascott Residence Trust (ART) was the first Singapore-listed trust to venture into the student housing segment. In December last year, it announced the acquisition of 4 student accommodation assets in the United States for US$213.0 million (S$291.2 million).

The 4 assets have a total of 1,651 beds, serving more than 100,000 students across 5 universities in 3 states.

With ART's final acquisition announcement for the year, the trust has built a diversified portfolio of 8 student accommodation assets in the US with about 4,400 beds in under a year.

Beh Siew Kim, chief executive officer of the trust's manager noted that student accommodation assets and rental housing properties now make up about 16 per cent of its total portfolio value, surpassing the initial target of 15 per cent.

Ascendas India Trust (AIT) acquired several business parks, an industrial facility and a site for data centre development throughout the year.

In July 2021, it announced the acquisition of a greenfield site for the development of Phase 1 of its first fully-fitted data centre campus in Airoli, a growing data centre hub in Navi Mumbai, India.

The trust noted that Phase 1 of the development will have a built-up area of about 0.33 million sq ft and is scheduled to be ready by Q3 2024.

REIT Watch is a weekly column on The Business Times, read the original version.