MOSCOW, March 20. /TASS/. The demand for warehousing spaces in Russia lost almost 45% annually in the first quarter of 2025, NF Group consultancy told TASS.
"The demand decline is noted amid growth of the vacant spaces - according to preliminary results of the first quarter, 320,000 high quality warehousing spaces were contracted in Russia, with two thirds of them accounted for the Moscow Region. The expected volume of transactions will be 3.5 mln sq m as of the end of 2025," NF Group said.
According to analysts, the demand was over 569,000 sq m in the first half of 2024.
The research by NF Group revealed significant changes in the demand structure: manufacturing and retail companies accounted in total for 80% in the total volume of transactions made in Russia from the year-start, while the share of e-commerce plunged 11%.
"In the first half of 2025, the warehousing property market will probably remain in the phase of moderate activity, focusing on filling existing and newly appearing vacant spaces. The key rate lowering may probably start in the second half of the year. This may become a trigger for the market to become more active: companies and investors will start withdrawing funds from deposits and direct them to the real business," NF Group Partner Konstantin Fomichenko.