Global Prime Residential Index Witnesses an Annual Increase of 0.9%:Knight Frank Prime Global Cities Index Q2 2020

* Bengaluru ranks 26thoutperforming New Delhi (27th), Mumbai (32nd)

* Bangkok was the weakest-performing global city in the year to June, with luxury home prices falling by 5.8%.

Knight Frank India, a leading international property consultancy, in its ‘Prime Global Cities Index Q2 2020’ report cited Bengaluru as the26th fastest-growing Indian prime residential market in the world, in terms of annual price appreciation.The premium micro-markets of the city recorded a rise of 0.60% in annual capital value change in Q2 2020 to an average price of Rs 19,727 per sq. ft.

New Delhi ranked 27th on the global index, witha 0.30% rise in terms of annual capital value change in the prime residential market to an average price of Rs 33,625 per sq. ft. in Q2 2020. Whereas Mumbai's prime residential market ranked 32nd in Q2 2020, registering a decline of 0.60% with an average price of Rs 64,388 per sq. ft.

Prime residential property is defined as the most desirable and most expensive property in a given location, generally defined as the top 5% of each market by value. The Prime Global Cities Index is a valuation-based index tracking the movement in prime residential prices in local currency across 40+ cities worldwide using data from Knight Frank’s global research network.

According to Knight Frank’s research analysis, 20 cities that witnessed a decline in prime residential prices in Q2 2020 - nine were in Europe, seven in Asia, two in Australasia, one in the Middle East, and one in Africa. The Prime Global Cities Index, an unweighted price index of prime residential prices across 45 cities, increased by 0.9%; recording the lowest rate of annual growth in 11 years. According to the report, 67% of the global cities registered flat or positive yearly price growth; Australasia recorded the strongest performing world region in the year to Q2 2020, and the Asian prime residential prices declined by 0.2% in the three months to June 2020.

Manila,leads the index with prime home prices rising by 14.4% over the 12 months to June 2020, followed by Tokyo (8.60%) and Stockholm(4.40%). Bangkok was the weakest-performing global city in the year to June 2020, with luxury home prices falling by 5.8%.

While Bengaluru and Mumbai moved up by one place in Q2 2020; Delhi gained five places in the same period.

Shishir Baijal, Chairman and Managing Director at Knight Frank India, said, “The pandemic infused economic stress has engulfed the global markets with a fear of uncertainty. Ultra-rich buyers around the world are seen deferring the high premium purchase of a prime residential asset class and preferring investments in liquid assets, primarily gold and cash equivalents. With the expected price correction and uptick in sentiment depending on the news related to vaccine discovery, buyers with adequate liquidity will find value to enter the prime residential asset class in India.”

Key Highlights:

* Bengaluru’s prime residential market performed better than Mumbai and Delhi. Globally, the city ranked 26th with 0.6% annual price change for the period Q2 2019 – Q22020;with 0.00% price change in Q2 2020compared to the previous quarter.

* Delhiranked 27th with 0.3% annual price change for the period Q2 2019 – Q2 2020. The city saw a flat 0.00% price change in Q2 2020 compared to the previous quarter.

* Mumbai ranked 32ndwith -0.4% marginal annual change for the period Q2 2019 – Q2 2020. The city registered a price decline of -0.50 % in Q2 2020 compared to the previous quarter.

* Manila ranked 1st with 14.10%annual change for the period Q2 2019 – Q2 2020. The city saw a flat 0.00% price change in Q2 2020 compared to the previous quarter.

* Bangkok ranks 45th with -5.8% %annual change for the period Q2 2019 – Q2 2020. The city registered a price decline of -1.40% in Q2 2020 compared to the previous quarter.