Office for National Statistics confirmed that GDP expanded 0.7% in Q1 2025 following zero growth in January and 0.5% growth in February. Concerns remain, with more recent data showing a 0.3% contraction in April.

The S&P Global UK services sector PMI rose from 50.9 in May to 52.8 in June, a 10-month high.

Supermarket Income REIT is in talks to buy a Tesco in Ashford, Kent, from M&G Real Estate, for c.£50m.

Just £38m of supermarkets transacted in Q2, bringing H1 to £176m vs £700m this time last year. However, £350m+ of assets are currently under offer.

Far East Orchard Limited has raised £100m for a new fund to develop student accommodation in the UK.

GSA - Global Student Accommodation is set to acquire Sanctuary Housing Association’s £400m, 21-asset, 5,500-bed student accommodation portfolio.

CBRE reports that investment volumes in the UK BTR sector have reached £1.9bn in H1 2025, with a further £2.2bn of investment under offer, almost 60% higher than last year.

Supermarket Income REIT has completed a new £215m secured term loan for its JV with funds managed by Blue Owl Capital.

Fusion has secured a £500m whole-loan facility from Maslow Capital to fund five PBSA schemes.

Marks and Spencer is accelerating its £300m store rotation and renewal programme, with 16 new, nine extended and 12 renewed shops planned for this financial year.

Nationwide Building Society has reported that house prices fell by 0.8% in June, the largest monthly fall for more than two years, although on an annual basis prices were up 2.1%.

Uber has announced that it will soon trial driverless taxis in the UK. This could result in a dramatic reallocation of space, releasing land for public realm, parks and redrawing the map of where people choose to live. Areas once considered poorly connected will gain appeal with a resultant positive impact on values.

Mark Charlton – Real Estate Research Consultant at Waypoint