REIT rally keeps running
Equity REITs are still outperforming — FTSE Nareit All Equity REITs rose about +10.5% through Jan/Feb and the sector was resilient at roughly +7.6% into mid‑March, pointing to strong 2026 momentum ( ). Seeking Alpha data shows the sector’s Feb gains and a narrowing NAV discount (–16.61% to –15.09%), with large caps leading the way and analysts flagging the setup as historically favorable for full‑year gains (seekingalpha.com).
FTSE Nareit highlighted that the 2026 start for the All Equity REITs index was the second‑highest first-two‑month showing since 2006, when measured through February. (reit.com)) Nareit’s February snapshot shows listed equity REITs yielding about 3.7% on average while mortgage REITs carried an average yield near 12.1% as of that month. (reit.com)) February’s sector leadership skewed toward specialty property types: data‑center, specialty, and self‑storage REITs were the top performers for the month. (credaily.com)) Large‑cap REITs posted the strongest February gains among size cohorts, while micro‑caps materially underperformed (large caps +5.80% vs micro caps −6.12% in February reporting). (2ndmarketcapital.com)) Nareit executives told WealthManagement that REIT total returns through the end of February outpaced the S&P 500 by more than nine percentage points, underscoring the sector’s relative strength early in 2026. (wealthmanagement.com)) Industry data show elevated market activity and moderate leverage: average daily dollar trading volume in February reached about $13.3 billion and the sector’s reported debt ratio was roughly 32.9% in recent REIT industry snapshots. (reit.com))
