London’s beleaguered stock market is set for a rare boost as a City property trust prepares to launch a £500m listing.
Special Opportunities REIT, a newly established real estate investment trust, is understood to be targeting a float in London in June.
Investors will receive its prospectus in the coming weeks, with the business hoping to land a valuation of up to £500m.
The anticipated listing will bring some respite to the Square Mile, which has been battling a string of high-profile departures.
Earlier this week, Paddy Power-owner Flutter confirmed plans to shift its primary listing to the US, which comes after the likes of travel giant TUI and building materials supplier CRH also opted to quit London in the last year.
An increasing number of exits has coincided with a dearth of new listings in London, with Air Astana, Kazakhstan’s national airline, proving to be one of the few major floats to take place in the City since January.
According to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the number of requests to float on the London Stock Exchange in 2023 was the lowest in six years.
A move to list Special Opportunities REIT would make it the first property trust to join the London market since October 2021.
It would also signal the largest float by a real estate investment trust in more than 10 years.
Special Opportunities REIT is hoping to use the listing to raise funds to acquire real estate assets that have fallen in price in recent months, such as logistics facilities and data centres.
It comes amid hopes that the commercial property market will rebound over the next 18 months as the Bank of England starts cutting interest rates.
Special Opportunities REIT is reviewing property deals worth almost £2bn.
This includes holding advanced talks to buy a £275m portfolio of sites covering student accommodation and budget hotels.
The trust is being spearheaded by industry veterans, including the founder of Primary Health Properties Harry Hyman and former Workspace chief Jamie Hopkins.
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