iShares Announces Launch of Emerging Markets Small Cap Fund
August 18 2011 - 9:32AM
Marketwired
BlackRock, Inc. (NYSE: BLK) today announced that its iShares®
Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) business, the world's largest manager
of ETFs, has launched the iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Small Cap
Index Fund (NYSE Arca: EEMS). By adding the new iShares ETF,
iShares complements its robust emerging market product suite and
enables investors access to the next generation of emerging market
growth.
"In the long-term, investors can look to emerging market small
cap stocks as the driver of the next wave of emerging market
growth," said Russ Koesterich, iShares Global Chief Investment
Strategist at BlackRock. "In the short-term, emerging markets may
be more defensively positioned than conventional wisdom might
suggest."
"Because emerging market small cap stocks offer greater exposure
to local consumer sectors --and those sectors are more tied to
domestic demand than foreign demand -- they should be better
insulated from issues facing developed markets today," said
Koesterich.
Noel Archard, Head of US iShares Product at BlackRock, said,
"With the new iShares Emerging Markets Small Cap ETF investors can
efficiently access the next generation of small cap companies with
100% local exposure. By combining the new iShares Emerging Markets
Small Cap ETF with the broadly diversified iShares MSCI Emerging
Markets ETF, investors can gain access to 100% of the investable
emerging market universe with no overlap in core holdings."
The iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Small Cap Index Fund is
benchmarked to the MSCI Emerging Markets Small Cap Index, which is
generally seen as the institutional index standard. It is a
float-adjusted market cap weighted index that is rebalanced
quarterly. The index's top three country holdings as of July 31,
2011, are Taiwan (19.86%), Korea (17.35%) and China (16.46%). The
top three country sector exposure weightings are consumer
discretionary (17.09%), industrials (16.90%) and financials
(16.59%).
About BlackRock BlackRock is a leader in
investment management, risk management and advisory services for
institutional and retail clients worldwide. At June 30, 2011,
BlackRock's AUM was $3.659 trillion. BlackRock offers products that
span the risk spectrum to meet clients' needs, including active,
enhanced and index strategies across markets and asset classes.
Products are offered in a variety of structures including separate
accounts, mutual funds, iShares® (exchange-traded funds), and other
pooled investment vehicles. BlackRock also offers risk management,
advisory and enterprise investment system services to a broad base
of institutional investors through BlackRock Solutions®.
Headquartered in New York City, as of June 30, 2011, the firm has
approximately 9,700 employees in 26 countries and a major presence
in key global markets, including North and South America, Europe,
Asia, Australia and the Middle East and Africa. For additional
information, please visit the Company's website at
www.blackrock.com.
About iShares iShares is the global
product leader in exchange traded funds with over 460 funds
globally across equities, fixed income and commodities, which trade
on 19 exchanges worldwide. The iShares Funds are bought and sold
like common stocks on securities exchanges. The iShares Funds are
attractive to many individual and institutional investors and
financial intermediaries because of their relative low cost, tax
efficiency and trading flexibility. Investors can purchase and sell
shares through any brokerage firm, financial advisor, or online
broker, and hold the funds in any type of brokerage account. The
iShares customer base consists of the institutional segment of
pension plans and fund managers, as well as the retail segment of
financial advisors and high net worth individuals.
Carefully consider the funds' investment
objectives, risk factors, and charges and expenses before
investing. This and other information can be
found in the funds' prospectuses, which may be obtained by calling
1-800-iShares (1-800-474-2737) or by visiting www.iShares.com. Read
the prospectus carefully before investing.
Investing involves risk, including possible
loss of principal.
In addition to the normal risks associated with investing,
international investments may involve risk of capital loss from
unfavorable fluctuation in currency values, from differences in
generally accepted accounting principles or from economic or
political instability in other nations. Emerging markets involve
heightened risks related to the same factors as well as increased
volatility and lower trading volume. Narrowly focused investments
and investments in smaller companies typically exhibit higher
volatility. Diversification may not protect against market
risk.
This material represents an assessment of the market environment
at a specific time and is not intended to be a forecast of future
events or a guarantee of future results. This information should
not be relied upon by the reader as research or investment advice
regarding the funds or any security in particular.
Transactions in shares of the iShares Funds will result in
brokerage commissions and will generate tax consequences. iShares
Funds are obliged to distribute portfolio gains to shareholders.
Shares of the iShares Funds may be sold throughout the day on the
exchange through any brokerage account. However, shares may only be
redeemed directly from a Fund by Authorized Participants, in very
large creation/redemption units.
The iShares Funds ("Funds") are distributed by SEI Investments
Distribution Co. ("SEI"). BlackRock Fund Advisors ("BFA") serves as
the investment advisor to the Funds. BlackRock Fund Distribution
Company ("BFDC") assists in the marketing of the Funds. BFA and
BFDC are affiliates of BlackRock, Inc., none of which is affiliated
with SEI.
The iShares Funds are not sponsored, endorsed, issued, sold or
promoted by MSCI Inc. This company does not make any representation
regarding the advisability of investing in the Funds. Neither SEI,
nor BlackRock Institutional Trust Company, N.A., nor any of their
affiliates, are affiliated with the company listed above.
* Not FDIC Insured * No Bank Guarantee * May
Lose Value
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