The Bid

In this first episode of our infrastructure miniseries on The Bid, guest host Mark Wiedman is joined by Raj Rao, Founding Partner, President and Chief Operating Officer of Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), now a part of BlackRock to talk infrastructure investing 101, how the asset class started, what's driving its growth and why it's becoming a must have in investors' portfolios.Sources: “Data center spending skyrockets as cloud building rush accelerates”, CIO Dive, Sep 2024; “The Infrastructure Opportunity: Listed Versus Unlisted”, Institutional Investor 2022This content is for informational purposes only and is not an offer or a solicitation. Reliance upon information in this material is at the sole discretion of the listener. Reference to the names of each company mentioned in this communication is merely for explaining the investment strategy and should not be construed as investment advice or investment recommendation of those companies. In the UK and Non-European Economic Area countries, this is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. In the European Economic Area, this is authorised and regulated by the Netherlands Authority for the Financial Markets. For full disclosures go to Blackrock.com/corporate/compliance/bid-disclosures See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As we look back, 2024 was marked by a delicate balance between economic recovery and ongoing challenges. Despite some positive developments, the global economy faced hurdles that influenced investor sentiment and strategic decisions. Central banks navigated complex inflationary pressures, while investors sought to adapt to a rapidly changing environment. Jean Boivin, Head of The BlackRock Investment Institute, joins Oscar to help us look ahead to the new year. Jean will provide insights into the structural shifts we anticipate and explain how investors can navigate the five mega forces that the BlackRock Investment Institute identifies as key drivers of the new macro regime.This content is for informational purposes only and is not an offer or a solicitation. Reliance upon information in this material is at the sole discretion of the listener. In the UK and Non-European Economic Area countries, this is authorized and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. In the European Economic Area, this is authorized and regulated by the Netherlands Authority for the Financial Markets. Reference to the names of each company mentioned in this communication is merely for explaining the investment strategy and should not be construed as investment advice or investment recommendation of those companies. For full disclosures go to Blackrock.com/corporate/compliance/bid-disclosuresSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

AI has been dominating investing headlines for almost two years, but it's not just a buzzword. It's a powerful technology that's poised to revolutionize industries and economies on a global scale. Investors are asking how will AI reshape job markets, productivity and economic growth? Nicholas Fawcett, a senior economist in the BlackRock Investment Institute joins Oscar to explore what AI means for the broad economy and the different stages of AI's evolution.Sources: Productivity estimates based on Brynjolfsson, Li, and Raymond (2023), Dell’Acqua et al. (2023) , Cui et al. (2024); Capex spend from BlackRock Investment Institute, Reuters, October 2024; Agricultural data based on IPUMS USA, October 2024This content is for informational purposes only and is not an offer or a solicitation. Reliance upon information in this material is at the sole discretion of the listener. In the UK and Non-European Economic Area countries, this is authorized and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. In the European Economic Area, this is authorized and regulated by the Netherlands Authority for the Financial Markets. Reference to the names of each company mentioned in this communication is merely for explaining the investment strategy and should not be construed as investment advice or investment recommendation of those companies. For full disclosures go to Blackrock.com/corporate/compliance/bid-disclosuresSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For The Bid's 200th episode, joining Oscar is one of BlackRock's founders, Rob Kapito. Rob currently serves as president of BlackRock and has witnessed the firm's incredible journey from the days of a largely US-based fixed income shop to becoming the firm trusted to manage more money than any other investment company in the world. Rob shares insights on the history of BlackRock, the firm's growth, and the evolving culture that has driven its success. We also look ahead to the future and get Rob's views on what lies ahead for BlackRock.This content is for informational purposes only and is not an offer or a solicitation. Reliance upon information in this material is at the sole discretion of the listener. In the UK and Non-European Economic Area countries, this is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. In the European Economic Area, this is authorised and regulated by the Netherlands Authority for the Financial Markets. For full disclosures go to Blackrock.com/corporate/compliance/bid-disclosuresSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.