News | Big Six office leasing volumes rise year-on-year in second quarter

Why this matters

The uptick in leasing volumes among the Big Six office landlords signals a tentative rebound in a sector long beleaguered by pandemic-driven structural shifts. For institutional investors and capital allocators, this development warrants close scrutiny as it may reflect early signs of stabilization or even selective recovery in prime office assets. While headline leasing growth does not necessarily translate into broad-based demand or improved fundamentals across all markets, it suggests that large landlords with scale and capital flexibility are beginning to reassert market influence. This could indicate a bifurcation in the office sector, where well-capitalized owners can capitalize on tenant flight to quality and repositioning efforts, while smaller or less advantaged assets continue to face headwinds. From a capital-markets perspective, rising leasing volumes may ease some pressure on underwriting assumptions and debt servicing risks that have weighed on office lending. Lenders and equity providers will watch whether this trend sustains and translates into improved occupancy and rent growth, which are critical for stabilizing valuations and unlocking liquidity. Ultimately, the Big Six’s leasing performance may serve as a leading indicator for broader institutional appetite and risk tolerance in office, shaping capital allocation decisions amid ongoing uncertainty about the sector’s long-term trajectory.

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On the RET wire

• Disclosed office deal value tracked in July 2026: $22.3B across 73 reported transactions. All Office coverage →

Computed from Real Estate Trail’s own tracked coverage

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