The British quantitative investment company QRT leases the 6th floor of Guojin Phase II

MTR Corporation (00066.HK) announced that it has signed a contract with Qube Research & Technologies (QRT), a global quantitative and systematic investment management company headquartered in the UK, to lease 146,000 square feet of office space on the 6th floor of the International Finance Centre Phase 2 (IFC 2). The company is expected to move in phases starting in 2027, becoming a major tenant in the building.

The space was originally leased by UBS, and this transaction marks the second-largest core area office leasing case in Central in over a decade, second only to the agreement made by quantitative trading and investment management firm Jane Street in June this year to lease over 223,000 square feet of the 6th floor of the Central Yards Phase 1 project, which is being developed by Henderson Land (00012.HK).

Murray Steel, Chief Operating Officer (Asia Pacific) of QRT, stated that since its establishment in 2018, the company has regarded Hong Kong as an important hub for operations in the Asia Pacific region and globally. The decision to settle in IFC 2 further reflects its confidence and commitment to the development of Hong Kong. QRT is headquartered in London and currently has 13 offices worldwide, five of which are located in the Asia Pacific region.

Deng Zhihui, Director of Property and International Business at MTR, stated that IFC 2 is a successful example of its "Railway Plus Property" development model. QRT's choice to settle there not only reflects the geographical and strategic advantages of the property but also demonstrates the confidence of the financial investment sector in Hong Kong as a business development hub.

According to external reports citing Jones Lang LaSalle, this transaction indicates that the Grade A office market in Central has emerged from its trough, with rents in the area expected to rebound by up to 5% next year, after a projected decline of 1% for the entire year. Meanwhile, rents in other commercial districts are expected to stabilize or decline by 5% year-on-year next year