Property

The latest sales figures from the IMA show property was the bestselling sector in May, but Charles Stanley Direct's head of investment research Ben Yearsley said many investors are piling in too late and have missed the rally in the asset class.

Positive economic news in the US and the continuing recovery in the UK have pushed equity valuations near to peak levels. So where can investors turn for protection in case markets fall from here?

Property funds have topped the latest sales charts from the Investment Management Association (IMA), with retail investors pumping a net £491m into the asset class in May.

Liberty Living, a subsidiary of troubled student property fund Brandeaux, has pulled a planned £400m IPO less than a month after announcing it.

Aviva Investors has raised its annual forecast for returns from commercial property to 8.9% over the next five years, despite the threat interest rates may rise as early as this year.

The HC Mansion UK Student Accommodation Income & Growth fund has deferred redemptions as it becomes the latest fund in the sector to suffer liquidity problems.

F&C property managers Guy Glover and Marcus Phayre-Mudge have identified four key issues which could impact investors in the property sector.

Henderson is to convert its £1.8bn property unit trust to an OEIC in advance of a potential conversion into a Property Authorised Investment fund (PAIF).

The trend for increased capital expenditure and M&A activity is spreading to the property sector as firms begin to upgrade their offices after years of delays.