Global Comparison of Real Estate Investment Trusts: Performance and Resilience Throughout the COVID-19 Pandemic

This study analyzes and compares the performance of Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) in several major countries during the course of the global COVID-19 pandemic. It provides a comprehensive evaluation of how the varying REIT markets and sectors responded to unprecedented economic challenges. Several forms of financial analysis were utilized throughout the study. The Fama-French Three-Factor Model was used to investigate at the degree of influence of underlying factors in the REIT market; Cumulative Abnormal Return (CAR) highlights the summative deviation of returns from normal performance of the market. The research findings offer valuable insights for both REIT managers and individual investors; these insights highlight the effectiveness of different strategies in weathering the pandemic and provide actionable recommendations for improving financial resilience in future economic crises.