New York, January 19, 2026, 13:59 EST — The market has closed.
- U.S. real estate ETFs closed up on Friday, though trading will be halted Monday due to the U.S. holiday.
- Wednesday’s catalysts are stacking up: a key REIT earnings report, fresh housing data, and a Trump policy speech in Davos all on deck.
- As the Fed’s late-January meeting approaches, rate-sensitive REITs will probably follow any new shifts in Treasury yields.
U.S. real estate stocks posted another gain last week, with the Real Estate Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLRE) climbing roughly 1.2% on Friday to close at $42.21. 1 Trading is paused Monday as U.S. stock and bond markets observe the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.
This matters now because real estate investment trusts, or REITs, often track interest-rate shifts. They borrow to acquire property and distribute a large chunk of their income, so rising yields can squeeze both valuations and borrowing costs.
Wall Street reopens Tuesday amid a packed calendar and new policy news. Investors will focus on REIT earnings, housing reports, and any changes in the rates debate ahead of the Federal Reserve’s upcoming meeting.
The Vanguard Real Estate ETF (VNQ), a popular gauge for U.S. REITs, closed Friday at $92.62, rising roughly 1.2% on the session. 2
Friday saw U.S. indexes end almost unchanged as investors braced for the long weekend, shifting funds toward safer assets, Reuters noted. “Historically the middle part of January tends to be pretty choppy,” said Bruce Zaro, managing director at Granite Wealth Management. 3
Within XLRE, top holdings feature health-care landlord Welltower (WELL), industrial REIT Prologis (PLD), cell-tower operator American Tower (AMT), and data-center owner Equinix (EQIX). This lineup highlights how “real estate” exposure has expanded well past just malls and apartments. 4
Prologis kicks off earnings season for big REITs, with its Q4 call set for Wednesday. Investors will focus on leasing demand, rent trends, and clues about business investment in warehouse and logistics properties. 5
Policy factors are also at play. President Donald Trump plans to unveil housing-affordability reforms during a Wednesday address at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Among the proposals being considered are measures to reduce mortgage rates and curb large investors from snapping up single-family homes, according to Investopedia. 6
National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett put it bluntly, saying households are feeling the pinch from soaring payments and down payments. “The typical monthly payment about doubled,” Hassett told Fox Business, noting that Trump plans to unveil “the final plan out in Davos.” 7
Housing data arrives Wednesday with the National Association of Realtors set to publish its December pending home sales index, a forward-looking gauge focused on contract signings instead of finalized deals. 8
The broader rates environment continues to drive REITs’ moves. The Fed meets next on January 27-28, and shifts in expected rate cuts could rapidly affect long-term Treasury yields. 9
That said, the situation is double-edged. Should yields climb once more or inflation fears flare due to policy moves, rate-sensitive REITs may lose the ground they’ve gained—particularly those in sectors facing big refinancing hurdles and sluggish rent increases.
Real estate stocks are gearing up for Tuesday’s reopening trade, followed by a packed Wednesday with Prologis earnings, the pending home sales report, and Trump’s housing speech at Davos. The Fed’s January 28 decision looms just after, and traders won’t be able to ignore it.
