BlackRock is giving investors the ability to tap into the investment opportunities provided by the world’s economic, social and technological ‘megatrends’ with the addition of three actively-managed equity funds and an equity ETF to its thematic funds range.
BlackRock has expanded its product range to provide choices for investors looking to build smarter portfolios with exposure to the businesses, industries and countries that sit at the very heart of megatrends, including technological breakthroughs, shifting economic power, climate change, demographic change, and rapid urbanisation.
The three new actively-managed equity funds are:
• BGF Future of Transport Fund, managed by Alastair Bishop, Charles Lilford, Hannah Gray
• BGF Next Generation Technology Fund, managed by Tony Kim
• BGF FinTech Fund, managed by Vasco Moreno
They join the existing BGF New Energy fund to enhance the actively-managed thematic suite of funds.
Nigel Bolton (pictured), Co-Chief Investment Officer of BlackRock’s Active Equity Platform, SAYS: “Portfolio management must keep pace with the world in which we invest. While previous approaches have looked at specialisation by country, region, sector, style or market cap, globalisation and technological advancements have removed physical and ‘invisible’ barriers’ to investing. Identifying the potential for change is a key driver of investment decision-making, and, as these megatrends continue to shape the world, there is extraordinary opportunity for investors to build portfolios to catch the tailwinds of these changes.”
The new iShares Digital Security UCITS ETF (LOCK) joins a nine-strong thematic ETF range, which cumulatively has USD4.4 bILLIONn in assets under management. The fund tracks the STOXX Global Digital Security Index, which is composed of developed and emerging market companies which are generating significant revenues from specific sectors associated with digital security. These companies exhibit growth potential due to major structural drivers including the expansion of the internet of things leading to an increased need for digital security solutions.
Rob Powell, Lead Strategist, iShares Thematic Investing, SAYS: “Better technology and data is aiding the development of products that help investors capture specific trends, and empowering people to question how effective their portfolios are in achieving intended outcomes. As more and more investors are getting to know ETFs beyond the broad equity market exposures, our focus is on expanding this choice of tools to build future-smart portfolios.”
