Sunway Real Estate Investment Trust posted RM355.9 million pre-tax profit for the six months ended Dec 31, 2010, on the back of RM157.778 million revenue.

For the second quarter, the company registered RM45.2 million pre-tax profit on the back of RM85.333 million revenue.

In a filing to Bursa Malaysia, it said the better performance for the current quarter was contributed by the commencement of new tenancy terms pursuant to renewals at the Sunway Pyramid Shopping Mall about one million square feet of net lettable area achieved an average increase in rental rates of 17.1 per cent for the three-year term.

The stronger performance at Sunway Resort Hotel and Spa and Pyramid Tower Hotel during year-end holiday season further contributed to improved results for the current quarter.

On the prospect, it said, visitorships to Sunway Pyramid Shopping Mall registered strong quarter-on-quarter growth of 9.7 per cent, whilst Sunway Carnival Shopping Mall recorded moderate growth of 2.9 per cent due to the year-end mega sales campaign and festive and school holidays.

It said occupancy remain strong with Sunway Pyramid at 98 per cent, Sunway Carnival at 93 per cent and Suncity Ipoh Hypermarket at 100 per cent.

The Sunway REIT Management Sdn Bhd believes the Sunway REIT retail properties, especially Sunway Pyramid Shopping Mall, will be able to enjoy another year of solid performance in tandem with the expectation of continued robust domestic consumption, pursuit of lifestyle trends and thriving Sunway Integrated Resort City.

As for the hotel market, it said the Sunway REIT's hotel properties would continue to perform well in line with the positive outlook for the industry.

In the quarter under review, the Sunway Resort Hotel and Spa and Pyramid Tower Hotel enjoyed strong occupancy (Sunway Resort Hotel and Spa: 70.8 per cent; Pyramid Tower Hotel: 86.3 per cent) and average daily rates (Sunway Resort Hotel and Spa: RM407; Pyramid Tower Hotel: RM258) in conjunction with the year-end school holidays and MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions).

Meanwhile, Sunway Hotel Seberang Jaya, a four-star corporate hotel, enjoyed steady performance as the domestic and global economy recover.

The office market, occupancy at both the Sunway REIT's office properties, has been stable at 99.5 per cent for Menara Sunway and 97.0 per cent at Sunway Tower.

The occupancy for Menara Sunway and Sunway Tower is expected to remain stable and the rental rates are expected to increase moderately for the renewals in 2011. -- Bernama