Fitch Ratings has affirmed a stable outlook

U.S. commercial real estate is expected to stabilize and perform better going forward. Cautiously optimistic about the modest economic growth and job creation, Lawrence Yun, chief economist of National Association of Realtor, predicts that the overall drop in vacancy rates, softer leasing and concessions could continue to make it into a tenant’s market. Fitch Ratings has affirmed a stable outlook for multifamily, office, industrial and retail REITS in 2012, and has assigned a positive outlook for health care REITs. Pending Home Sales Index rose 10.4% in Oct. to 93.3 from 84.5 in the prior month. Regionally, pending home sales increased in the midwest by 24.1%, northeast by 17.7%, and in the south by 8.6% in October. New home sales are likely to top 5 million in November from 4.97 million in October, according to the median forecast of analysts surveyed by Bloomberg.