Are UK Reits the most unloved asset?

Recent updates from UK Reits are looking more positive, but the market remains entirely unimpressed

New Housing
(Image credit: Getty Images)

After Covid struck five years ago, several UK real-estate investment trusts (Reits) suspended or slashed their dividends.

There were dire predictions that demand for offices and shops would be so much weaker after the pandemic that payouts would never fully recover. But while real estate has been affected by changes in work and leisure, most Reits have seen their income hold up much better than feared.

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Cris Sholto Heaton

Cris Sholto Heaton is an investment analyst and writer who has been contributing to MoneyWeek since 2006 and was managing editor of the magazine between 2016 and 2018. He is especially interested in international investing, believing many investors still focus too much on their home markets and that it pays to take advantage of all the opportunities the world offers. He often writes about Asian equities, international income and global asset allocation.

Cris began his career in financial services consultancy at PwC and Lane Clark & Peacock, before an abrupt change of direction into oil, gas and energy at Petroleum Economist and Platts and subsequently into investment research and writing. In addition to his articles for MoneyWeek, he also works with a number of asset managers, consultancies and financial information providers.

He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation and the Investment Management Certificate, as well as degrees in finance and mathematics. He has also studied acting, film-making and photography, and strongly suspects that an awareness of what makes a compelling story is just as important for understanding markets as any amount of qualifications.