MARKET INSIGHTS

Weekly market commentary

26-Jan-2026
  • BlackRock Investment Institute

Tapping infrastructure’s potential

Market take

Weekly video_20260202

Vivek Paul

Global Head of Portfolio Research, BlackRock Investment Institute

Opening frame: What’s driving markets? Market take

Camera frame

Title slide: Tapping infrastructure’s potential

Last week’s corporate earnings from mega cap tech companies showed massive investments in AI are ongoing. Beyond mega cap tech, we see a clear beneficiary: infrastructure. Most investors could increase their exposure, in our view.

1: A valuation discount

Corporate earnings in the fourth quarter show capital spending behind the AI buildout rolling on. This is a boon for infrastructure, which has been typically viewed as defensive.

Beyond the AI buildout, other mega forces, such as the low-carbon transition, support long-term demand.

But valuations do not yet reflect this. On an enterprise-value-to-EBITDA basis, publicly listed infrastructure equities trade at a steep discount to their long-term averages. Private infrastructure trades closer to long-term averages, unlike private equity. That helps make infrastructure our preferred growth private asset.

2: Tapping infrastructure exposure

Infrastructure is diverse. It spans transport, energy, telecommunications, and water and waste management. And investors can access it through both debt and equity vehicles in public and private markets.

Yet most investors, including large institutions that typically dominate illiquid investments, are under-allocated. Our analysis shows that a typical US corporate pension with risk comparable to a 70/30 equity-bond split has infrastructure-like exposure of just 4 to 5%.

We think adding infrastructure holdings is particularly helpful in an inflationary environment like today, where investors need income sources whose value won’t erode over time. Infrastructure cash flows are often supported by regulation and long-term contracts that adjust with inflation. This offers predictable income over the lifespan of investments.

3: Common risks

Two risks are commonly cited for infrastructure. First, an AI burst could choke demand for data center and energy infrastructure – though we think this is unlikely. Strong legal protections in infrastructure contracts help mitigate these risks.

Second, higher real rates could push up the expected return threshold for infrastructure. We think this risk is the greater of the two and reflects structural forces like large government deficits and heavy bond issuance.

Outro: Here’s our Market take

We like opportunities in infrastructure. Mega forces like AI are driving long-term demand, and valuations don’t yet reflect that. We think most investors can increase their exposure.

Closing frame: Read details: blackrock.com/weekly-commentary

Infrastructure opportunity

Most investors could increase their infrastructure exposure, we think. It benefits from multiple mega forces yet currently trades at a discount.

Market backdrop

Stocks ended unchanged, masking big intraday moves triggered by jitters over AI investment. We see this as a reshuffling of winners, not the AI trade’s end.

Week ahead

US jobs data this week could give some clarity on the Fed’s rate path. We see the nomination of Kevin Warsh as Fed chair easing pressure on the US dollar.

The latest earnings from mega cap tech are still showing massive spending on AI, even amid market volatility and dispersion. We see a clear beneficiary: infrastructure. Most investors could increase their exposure to this diverse asset class, in our view. Beyond the AI buildout, multiple mega forces support long-term demand. Valuations look low to fair versus history. And cash flows that often adjust with rising prices can help hedge inflation risk.

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A valuation discount

Listed infrastructure vs MSCI World valuations, 2010-2025

The chart shows that listed infrastructure equities trade at nearly 20% below their long-term average on enterprise-value-to-EBITDA multiples.

Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Source: BlackRock Investment Institute, with data from MSCI, FTSE, November 2025. Note: The chart compares the ratio of enterprise value to earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation for listed infrastructure and global equities. Positive values mean listed infrastructure is valued at a premium vs. global equities, negative values indicate a discount. The lines show the average relative valuation and the ±2 standard deviation from that average. Index proxies: FTSE World Core Infrastructure 50/50 and MSCI World.

Infrastructure, traditionally viewed as a stodgy defensive sector, is now at the center of interlocking mega forces. Geopolitical fragmentation is leading governments to emphasize energy security. Population growth in emerging markets requires upgrading urban infrastructure. Nuclear and renewable power for the low-carbon transition often need more up-front investment than traditional energy sources. Yet valuations, weighed down as interest rates have climbed, do not reflect this growth potential. Listed infrastructure equities trade at nearly 20% below their long-term average on enterprise-value-to-EBITDA multiples – below levels at the financial crisis and similar to the COVID shock. See the chart. Private infrastructure assets trade closer to long-term averages, we believe, but lets investors tap a much wider universe of assets.

Investors can tap infrastructure through a wide range of sectors and exposures. It spans transport, energy, telecom and digital networks and water and waste management, and can be accessed through debt and equity in both listed and private markets. Yet most investors are under-allocated, even the large institutions that historically dominate illiquid asset investing. Analysis from our recent paper (for professional investors only) shows that a typical US corporate pension with similar risk to a 70/30 equity-bond split has infrastructure-like exposure of about 4 to 5% through equity and credit holdings such as utilities. Why so little? Infrastructure lacks the familiarity of mainstream stocks and bonds, and its long investing horizons has made it the purview of select institutional investors. Yet our analysis shows that corporate pension funds can more than double their current levels of exposure for increased portfolio efficiency: greater return for similar overall risk.

A helpful hedge against sticky inflation

Infrastructure holdings are particularly helpful when supply chain constraints stoke inflation and mega forces cloud the long-term outlook. Growth is solid right now, but inflation is getting “stickier,” as Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said after holding policy rates steady last week. Investors need income sources that have a low risk of eroding in such an environment. Infrastructure’s cash flows are often supported by regulation or long-term contracts that adjust with inflation, offering predictable income. We especially like infrastructure equity among private growth assets on a five-year-plus horizon.

What are the risks? First: an AI bust chokes data center and energy infrastructure demand. We see this as overblown for the sector. The reason: strong legal protections. Companies pay for space even if they don’t use it; early lease terminations are limited; and tenants front any increases in energy costs. Second: the risk of rising real rates raising the return bar for infrastructure assets. This risk has been front and center recently, with a rapid rise in the term premium pressuring the US dollar and Treasuries as global investors rethink US exposure. We see the nomination of Kevin Warsh as Federal Reserve chair mitigating the risk for now thanks to his financial crisis experience and likely focus on preventing global spillovers.

Our bottom line

We like infrastructure. Mega forces like AI are driving long-term demand, but valuations don’t yet reflect that. We think most investors can allocate more and particularly favor infrastructure equity among private growth assets.

Market backdrop

Stocks were little changed on the week, even as the S&P 500 notched a 1.7% intra-day decline last Thursday on jitters over AI investment. We see the latter as a reshuffling of winners, not as backlash against the AI trade. The US dollar plumbed four-year lows, then perked up on news of the Warsh nomination. Precious metals that had become perceived safe havens during the term premium shock saw their biggest losses since the 1980s.

We look to US jobs data for a cleaner read on the labor market. A “no hiring, no firing” stasis let the Fed trim rates last year, but wage pressures could limit cuts in 2026. The bigger question: How would Fed chair nominee Kevin Warsh navigate pressure to cut rates? Given Warsh’s financial crisis experience, we think he will focus on preventing global market spillovers. We see this supporting the US dollar and easing the risk of spikes in long-term yields.

Week ahead

The chart shows that publicly listed infrastructure equities trade at a discount to their long-term enterprise-value-to-EBITDA multiples.

Past performance is not a reliable indicator of current or future results. Indexes are unmanaged and do not account for fees. It is not possible to invest directly in an index. Sources: BlackRock Investment Institute, with data from LSEG Datastream as of January 29, 2026. Notes: The two ends of the bars show the lowest and highest returns at any point year to date, and the dots represent current year-to-date returns. Emerging market (EM), high yield and global corporate investment grade (IG) returns are denominated in US dollars, and the rest in local currencies. Indexes or prices used are: spot Brent crude, ICE US Dollar Index (DXY), spot gold, spot bitcoin, MSCI Emerging Markets Index, MSCI Europe Index, LSEG Datastream 10-year benchmark government bond index (US, Germany and Italy), Bloomberg Global High Yield Index, J.P. Morgan EMBI Index, Bloomberg Global Corporate Index and MSCI USA Index.

Feb. 3

US job openings and labor turnover

Feb. 4

Euro area inflation

Feb. 5

ECB, BoE policy rate decisions

Feb. 6

US payrolls, University of Michigan consumer sentiment

Read our past weekly commentaries here.

Big calls

Our highest conviction views on six- to 12-month (tactical) and over five-year (strategic) horizons, February 2026

Note: Views are from a US dollar perspective, February 2026. 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 any particular funds, strategy or security.

Tactical granular views

Six- to 12-month tactical views on selected assets vs. broad global asset classes by level of conviction, February 2026

Legend Granular

We have lengthened our tactical investment horizon back to six to 12 months. The table below reflects this and, importantly, leaves aside the opportunity for alpha, or the potential to generate above-benchmark returns – especially at a time of heightened volatility.

Past performance is not a reliable indicator of current or future results. It is not possible to invest directly in an index. Note: Views are from a US dollar perspective. This material represents an assessment of the market environment at a specific time and is not intended to be a forecast or guarantee of future results. This information should not be relied upon as investment advice regarding any particular fund, strategy or security.

Euro-denominated tactical granular views

Six to 12-month tactical views on selected assets vs. broad global asset classes by level of conviction, February 2026

Legend Granular

Past performance is not a reliable indicator of current or future results. It is not possible to invest directly in an index. Note: Views are from a euro perspective, February 2026. This material represents an assessment of the market environment at a specific time and is not intended to be a forecast or guarantee of future results. This information should not be relied upon as investment advice regarding any particular fund, strategy or security.

Meet the authors

Jean Boivin
Head – BlackRock Investment Institute
Wei Li
Global Chief Investment Strategist – BlackRock Investment Institute
Serge Lauper
Global Head for Infrastructure Solutions
Vivek Paul
Global Head of Portfolio Research – BlackRock Investment Institute
Christopher Kaminker
Head of Sustainable Research and Analytics – BlackRock Investment Institute

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