BUZZ — Australia's REA Group dips, Citi says listing decline forecasts appear optimistic

* Shares of Australian property listing firm REA Group fall 1.8% to A$156.37, set for their worst day since September 9 * Citi notes new listings were down 2% in August compared with a year earlier * Brokerage views REA's forecast of "flat to low single digit" FY27 volume decline as optimistic, projecting a 5% Y/Y decline, below VA consensus estimate of a 3% drop * Citi says first-quarter-to-date listings declines were tracking its forecast, though its estimates assume the pace of decline to accelerate later in the year, as further interest-rate hikes weigh on activity and due to comparisons with stronger year-ago period performance * Stock down 14.7% YTD (Reporting by Shruti Agarwal in Bengaluru) ((Shruti.Agarwal@thomsonreuters.com;)