Capital values rise 2.5% in H1

UK commercial property capital values increased by 0.6% overall in June 2017, according to the latest CBRE Monthly Index.A quarter-end surge from the industrial sector helped boost the national average. Rental values increased by 0.2% across all UK property over the month.In H1 2017, capital value growth reached 2.5%, up some way from H1 2016’s 0.6% but still shy of the 4.1% recorded in H1 2015.Rental value growth was 0.8% for H1, lower than the 1.1% in the same period in 2016. Propped up by steady income returns, total returns hit 5.3% for the first half of 2017.The industrial sector returned to previous form, with capital values rising by 1.5% in June 2017, up from 0.5% in May.Capital growth was driven by industrials in the South East, which reported a 1.8% increase for the month. Industrials in the rest of UK posted a respectable increase of 0.9%.Industrial rental values rose by 0.5% over the month. In H1, capital values in the industrial sector rose by 5.8%, while rental values increased by 2.6%. Total returns were 8.8% for UK industrial as a whole, and 9.9% for South East industrial.Retail capital values increased by 0.1% overall in June, with high street retail capital value growth of 0.2% for the month. Rental values also increased slightly, with the sector reporting growth of 0.1%.In H1, capital values in the retail sector increased by 0.9% overall, with high street shops in the South East reporting an increase of 1.3% over H1. Rental values increased by 0.3% over the same period.The office sector recorded capital value growth of 0.4% in June, boosted by performance outside of central London. Outer London and M25 offices saw capital growth of 0.5%, while the rest of UK offices recorded growth of 0.6%.While rental values at the all-UK office level were flat in June, this disguised a divergence in performance between central London, where rental values fell  by 0.3%, and markets outside the capital, where rental values rose. Capital values in the office sector as a whole increased by 2.3% in H1 2017. Rental values increased by 0.4% across the sector in H1.Miles Gibson, head of research at CBRE UK, said: “June’s results mark the end of H1 2017 and 12 months since the EU referendum. Despite City office rental values falling for a third consecutive month, overall results paint the picture of steady property performance. Industrials in particular continue to perform well and provide a boost to overall performance.”