In 2012 the total investment volume reached EUR 299 million (except for the value of undisclosed transactions). The most important transactions closed in 4Q 2012 were the acquisition of HQ Victoriei by Zeus Capital Partner (an office building with 5,000 sq. m situated in the centre of Bucharest), the acquisition by GTC from its partner Aura Investment of 30% share from the property rights of three commercial centres and the buying of Nord City Tower by ING (9,700 sq.m office in Pipera). In addition to that, NEPI has bought a plot of approx. 12.7 ha in Galati with the intention of developing a commercial centre anchored by a hypermarket. “Unlike the previous years a poignant tendency of banks to place in the market real estate guarantees of outperforming credits is observed. It looks like the banks resistance reached its limit, they were choosing either to partially get rid of the outperforming credits, by selling the guarantees at attractive prices, or to transfer the assets towards their own vehicles for subsequent recovery, in an attempt to balance the sheets burdened by the outperforming assets, which erode the shareholders profits.”, DTZ consultants stated. The investment volume, by nationality, is dominated by foreign investors, not only for the first quarter of 2013, but also for all of 2012, the share of the biggest investors being inclined towards South Africa (37%), followed by Cyprus (20%), France (18%), Central America (16%), Greece (4%) and Spain (2%). Therefore, the foreign investors activity was essential for the maintaining of the commercial assets investment activity. The yields remained at the same value registered in the first quarter of last year, for the prime office buildings and prime retail centres being around 8.5%, while for the prime logistic centres the yield is around 10.5%. (source: wall-street.ro)