Public Information, REIT Responses, Size, Leverage, and Focus

We evaluate REIT responses to the release of REIT-specific and macroeconomic news over two periods with differing economic climates. More specifically, using high-frequency data we track the response function over a period of sixty minutes following each announcement. Tests show REIT-specific information to have larger, and in many instances opposite effects to that of macroeconomic news. REITs also tend to be more sensitive to public information when the economy experiences a downturn. REIT size, leverage, and focus play an important mediating role between REIT trading activity and public information.