The significance and performance of property securities markets in the Asian IFCs

This paper assesses the significance, risk-adjusted performance and portfolio diversification benefits of the listed property securities markets in the Asian international financial centres (IFCs) of Tokyo, Singapore and Hong Kong over January 1998 - March 2008, contrasting this performance to six major non-IFC markets in Asia. Significant risk-adjusted returns are evident for these Asian IFCs, with this having been enhanced in recent years. Portfolio diversification benefits are also evident for these Asian IFCs; however, superior portfolio diversification benefits are provided by the Asian non-IFC markets in a pan-Asia property portfolio context for global investors. These results highlight the need for global investors in the Asian markets to include both the major IFC markets and the non-IFC markets to achieve effective portfolio diversification benefits in their pan-Asia property portfolios.