An example is shopping mall developer Westfield Group, which fell to a 20% discount to NAV in 2011.

FORBES: Investing

Australia-based Westfield Group introduced a free app for the iPhone last year and for Research in Motion Ltd.

WSJ: Malls Test Apps to Aid Shoppers

Property owners advancing included Westfield Group Australia, up 2.8%, and CFS Retail Property Trust, which ended 1.5% higher.

WSJ: Weaker Yen Lifts Tokyo Exporters

He became a champion aerobatics pilot, squeezing lessons in between working for his family's Westfield Group, which owns 121 shopping centers in four countries.

FORBES: Wingman

Aside from the economic growth story, limited acquisition opportunities in the U.S. put Simon at a disadvantage relative to other large international mall REITs such as Australian property operator Westfield Group and France-based Unibail-Rodamco, which are focused on creating value through renewal of property.

FORBES

"In one sense the Games is an interruption to that normal footfall, in another sense it is a massive opportunity in exposing new people to the building who ordinarily would not come here on a regular basis, " said Steven Lowy, co-chief executive of the Westfield Group.

CNN: Europe's largest shopping mall gets Olympics boost

Rouse, which is buying seven of the malls, will become America's second-largest mall owner (Simon DeBartolo Group is the biggest) and Westfield, which is buying 13, will become the third-largest.

ECONOMIST: Breathtaking