BlackRock News Update - August 27, 2025

BlackRock Partners with Flexport to Launch $250 Million Trade-Financing Initiative BlackRock Inc. has joined forces with digital logistics provider Flexport Inc. to establish a $250 million trade-financing program aimed at helping companies navigate rising tariff costs and supply-chain cash-flow pressures. The investment, made through BlackRock-managed funds and accounts, will double Flexport Capital’s lending capacity and fund financing at multiple stages of the supply chain, including purchase orders, freight movement, warehousing, and final delivery. Stuart Leung, CFO of Flexport, noted that the partnership comes amid a surge in demand for tariff financing and asset-based credit lines as U.S. import duties climb as high as 50 percent on certain goods and the de minimis rule expires.

BlackRock Condemns Politicization of Pension Fund Management In a statement released today, BlackRock pushed back against mounting criticism from both U.S. Republican and Democratic officials accusing asset managers of injecting partisan politics into public pension-fund governance. The firm emphasized its commitment to fiduciary duty and warned that politicizing investment decisions - including pressure to divest from certain industries or geographies based on policy objectives - risks undermining retirement-asset performance and long-term beneficiary returns. BlackRock’s call for a bipartisan approach to pension oversight underscores growing tensions between policymakers and institutional investors over environmental, social, and governance (ESG) considerations.

BlackRock Smaller Companies Trust plc Acquires 35,000 Shares for Treasury BlackRock Smaller Companies Trust plc announced a purchase of 35,000 of its own ordinary shares at an average price of 1,300 pence per share. These shares will be held in treasury and, upon settlement on August 29, will bring the issued share capital to 41,735,792 ordinary shares, excluding the 8,257,731 held in treasury. Shares in treasury carry no voting rights, and will represent approximately 16.52 percent of total issued capital post-settlement.

  • Sources: Ainvest; Reuters; BlackRock Smaller Companies Trust plc Release