Real estate and REIT stocks, as proxied by VNQ, moved higher in the pre-market session despite broader market weakness. The primary driver appears to be a notable decrease in U.S. Treasury yields. This decline in yields was reportedly a reaction to weaker-than-expected housing starts data for September, which suggests a cooling in the interest-rate-sensitive housing market. A lower interest rate environment is generally favorable for the real estate sector, as it reduces borrowing costs for property acquisitions and can increase property valuations.