Signs of life are beginning to return to the beleaguered commercial property fund sector with investment flows starting to turn positive after months of heavy outflows. The hope is that valuations may be bottoming (PDF).

Real estate funds across Europe, the US and Asia have attracted net inflows of $893m (£450m, €570m) over the past four weeks, according to data from EPFR Global, which tracks global investment flows. Fund outflows, which totalled $15.6bn between May and December last year, have slowed to $448m so far this year.