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  • BlackRock says ‘new regime’ of volatility is pushing clients to private markets

    BlackRock says ‘new regime’ of volatility is pushing clients to private markets

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    European institutions are increasingly pushing into private markets to help mitigate “a new regime of higher volatility”, BlackRock has said, as it rapidly expands its own activity in the sector.

    Dominik Rohé, deputy head of international business at the world’s largest fund manager, said clients in Europe, the Middle East and Africa accounted for about 35 per cent of its private asset fundraising last year.

    The amount raised from institutions in this region increased by more than 50 per cent in absolute terms from 2024, in a sign of the fast-growing adoption of private assets in this market.

    Rohé said institutions in Europe such as pension funds have been shifting away from public equities and bonds towards private assets, partly to manage market turbulence and to find investments whose returns were not correlated with movements in stock or bond markets.

    “European institutions are allocating more to private markets as they recognise that we are in a new regime with higher volatility and different correlations between bonds and equities,” he told the FT.

    BlackRock’s Dominik Rohé said private markets ‘can be more opaque to evaluate’ and warned investors to be mindful

    BlackRock has bought three firms — infrastructure investment group Global Infrastructure Partners, private investment firm HPS Investment Partners and data provider Preqin — to fuel its expansion in the sector over the past two years. It is targeting $400bn in private market fundraising by 2030.

    The private markets sector has grown rapidly as investors have been attracted to an asset class that is viewed as less volatile because it is priced less frequently than public markets. But private markets can be more opaque and the less frequent valuation process can pose a risk for investors.

    Geopolitical tensions and policy uncertainty pushed up volatility last year, including a sharp sell-off in equity markets in the wake of US President Donald Trump’s “liberation day” tariffs, even as equities reached all-time highs.

    Institutions “also see the opportunity to achieve early and diversified access through private markets into areas that are driving the economy, such as the infrastructure that will support the growth of AI as well as cash flowing businesses that have chosen to stay private for longer”, Rohé said.

    BlackRock this week reported strong inflows into its fast-growing private markets unit, with the private credit business attracting $7.2bn and its infrastructure investment unit drawing in close to $5bn in three months.

    BlackRock has amassed $322.6bn of assets under management in private markets. Total assets under management climbed to a record of $14tn, driven by its equity and fixed-income business.

    Rohé said that private markets “can be more opaque to evaluate” and warned investors to be mindful of some of the liquidity challenges posed by private assets that can be harder to value and sell.

    He added that across the EU and UK, more than 90 per cent of companies with annual revenue of over $100mn are privately held.

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  • Sleep, stress and sunshine: endocrinologists on 11 ways to look after your metabolism | Health

    Sleep, stress and sunshine: endocrinologists on 11 ways to look after your metabolism | Health

    Get to know your hormones

    “Most people would like to have more energy and be leaner,” says Prof David Ray, an endocrinologist at the University of Oxford who also provides NHS services. “There is a connection between how we choose to live,…

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  • Hornets Fall Behind Early, Warriors Stay In Control After That – NBA

    Hornets Fall Behind Early, Warriors Stay In Control After That – NBA

    1. Hornets Fall Behind Early, Warriors Stay In Control After That  NBA
    2. Warriors stunningly break new NBA record despite Jimmy Butler absence  Blue Man Hoop
    3. What we learned as Draymond Green lets it fly, drops 20 points in Warriors’ win  NBC Bay Area

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  • In Iran crisis, Trump confronted limits of U.S. military power – The Washington Post

    1. In Iran crisis, Trump confronted limits of U.S. military power  The Washington Post
    2. Relief as US puts off strikes  Dawn
    3. Gulf countries gear up diplomacy to stave off US-Iran escalation  Al Jazeera
    4. Israel and Arab Nations Ask Trump to Refrain From…

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  • World’s Oldest Arrow Poison Discovered on 60,000-Year-Old Stone Age Weapons – SciTechDaily

    1. World’s Oldest Arrow Poison Discovered on 60,000-Year-Old Stone Age Weapons  SciTechDaily
    2. Prehistoric humans hunted with poisoned arrows thousands of years earlier than thought  Chemistry World
    3. Scientists discover poisonous arrowheads used by…

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  • Seahawks Dominate 49ers To Advance To NFC Championship Game

    Seahawks Dominate 49ers To Advance To NFC Championship Game

    The Seahawks are back in the NFC championship game for the first time in 11 years thanks to Saturday night’s dominant 41-6 win over the 49ers.

    Returner Rasheed Shahid set the tone with a 95-yard kick return to open the game, then the…

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  • Broncos win 33-30 overtime thriller to advance to AFC Championship Game

    Broncos win 33-30 overtime thriller to advance to AFC Championship Game

    DENVER — The Broncos are moving on.

    In a back-and-forth instant classic, the Broncos gutted out a 33-30 overtime win over the NFL’s reigning MVP in Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills.

    Keyed by five takeaways and a pair of…

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  • When do Djokovic & Sinner play their first Australian Open matches? – ATP Tour

    1. When do Djokovic & Sinner play their first Australian Open matches?  ATP Tour
    2. Schedule and where to watch Novak Djokovic’s debut at the Australian Open 2026 against Pedro Martínez  Punto de Break
    3. Martinez vs. Djokovic 2026 livestream: Watch…

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  • Fortnite leaks: Looney Tunes collaboration, release date, skins, and more | Esports News

    Fortnite leaks: Looney Tunes collaboration, release date, skins, and more | Esports News

    Image via Fortnite and Warner Bros.

    Fortnite is set for several major collaborations in 2026, with a recent leak emerging about classic Looney Tunes characters coming to the battle royale title. Data miner @ShiinaBR has confirmed that Bugs…

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  • Pet adoption was a “miracle” for John Travolta

    Pet adoption was a “miracle” for John Travolta

    After the New Jersey native waved to the crowd, moderator Jaimie Roberts immediately asked Travolta about his pet Peanut. Travolta who has also had up to 16 pet cats in his home, said he met the dog at an Academy Awards ceremony in 2022. “I…

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