The past 12 months reveal a tale of two markets—one of investor pessimism and decided weakness, and another of optimism and some early signs of recovery.

The majority of the past year was characterized by the former as the global financial crisis erupted into the worst recession in decades. Economic data were uniformly poor and daily headlines recounted the downfalls of storied financial firms, volatile swings in global financial markets, and monumental government actions that included widespread (and globally coordinated) monetary and quantitative easing by central banks and large-scale fiscal stimuli. Sentiment improved noticeably in March 2009, however, on the back of new program announcements by the Treasury and Federal Reserve Board, as well as signs of improved economic performance, such as in retail sales, consumer confidence and select areas of the housing market.

Against this backdrop, US equities contended with unprecedented levels of volatility, posting steep declines early, and then pared some of those losses in March and April. The experience in international markets was similar to that in the United States, though there was a marked divergence in regional performance. Notably, emerging economies, which lagged most developed regions through the downturn, were among the market leaders during the late-period rally.

In fixed income markets, while risk aversion remained a dominant theme overall, relatively attractive yields and distressed valuations, alongside a more favorable macro environment, eventually captured investor attention, leading to a modest recovery in non-Treasury assets. A notable example from the opposite end of the credit spectrum was the high yield sector, which generally outperformed in the first four months of 2009 after extraordinary challenges and severe underperformance last year. At the same time, the new year ushered in a return to normalcy for the tax-exempt market, which had registered one of its worst years on record in 2008.

All told, the major benchmark indexes posted mixed results for the current reporting period, reflective of a bifurcated market.

Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Index performance shown for illustrative purposes only. You cannot invest directly in an index.

On June 16, 2009, BlackRock, Inc. announced that it received written notice from Barclays PLC (“Barclays”) in which Barclays’ Board of Directors had accepted BlackRock’s offer to acquire Barclays Global Investors (“BGI”). Barclays also notified BlackRock that its Board will recommend the transaction to Barclays’ shareholders for approval at a special meeting to be held in early August 2009. The combination of BlackRock and BGI will bring together market leaders in active and index strategies to create the preeminent asset management firm. The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter 2009 following approval by Barclays’ shareholders, the receipt of client consents and regulatory approvals, and satisfaction of customary closing conditions.

Through periods of market turbulence, as ever, BlackRock’s full resources are dedicated to the management of our clients’ assets. We thank you for entrusting BlackRock with your investments and look forward to continuing to serve you in the months and years ahead.

Sincerely,

Rob Kapito
President, BlackRock Advisors, LLC