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Model Portfolio
Performance and positioning update:
- April was a strong month for risk assets, as equities rebounded sharply despite a volatile geopolitical backdrop. Following March’s selloff, optimism around de-escalation in the Middle East, AI-driven momentum, and resilient corporate earnings fueled a decisive shift back into risk, underpinning broad-based market gains.
- The S&P 500 rose +10.5%, marking its strongest monthly performance since November 2020. Tech stocks generally led the recovery while more defensive sectors underperformed. Emerging market equities also rebounded, with the MSCI EM Index posting its best monthly performance since November 2022 (+14.7%) supported by the broader risk-on tone, a weaker U.S. dollar, and greater exposure to the AI theme.
- Fixed income returns were mostly positive, albeit to a lesser extent as rising oil prices and rising inflation pushed yields higher and reduced expectations for rate cuts. With markets repricing for a more hawkish central bank path, longer-term U.S. Treasuries posted negative returns for the month. Credit performed well amid resilient economic data with spreads tightening sharply (U.S. high yield +1.7%). However, rising Treasury yields constrained returns for more duration-sensitive exposures (U.S. investment grade +0.5%).
Source: BlackRock as of 4/30/2026. All index data for market commentary sourced from Bloomberg as of 4/30/2026. Index performance is for illustrative purposes only. Index performance does not reflect any management fees or expenses. Indexes are unmanaged and one cannot invest directly in an index. Past performance does not guarantee future results. US Dividend Stocks: MSCI USA High Dividend Index. Int’l Dividend Stocks: MSCI World ex USA High Dividend Yield Index. Global REITs: FTSE EPRA Nareit Developed Index. Global Infra. Equity: S&P Global Infrastructure Index. EM Debt: JPM EMBI Global Index. US IG Bonds: Bloomberg US Corp Bond. High Yield Bonds: Bloomberg US HY 2% Issuer Cap Index. Preferreds: S&P Preferred Stock Index. US Treasuries: Bloomberg US Treasury (1972) Index. Global Developed Equity: MSCI World Index. EM Equity: MSCI Emerging Market Index. US T-Bills: Bloomberg US Treasury Bills Index. Bank Loans: Morningstar LSTA US Leveraged Loan Total Return Index. This material represents an assessment of the market environment as of the date indicated; is subject to change; 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 the funds or any issuer or security in particular. A basis point represents one hundredth of a percent.
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Justin Christofel
Global head of Income Investing, Multi-Asset Strategies & Solutions
Justin Christofel, CFA, CAIA, Managing Director, is global head of Income Investing for BlackRock’s Multi-Asset Strategies & Solutions group. He is a portfolio manager for a number of income strategies including the Multi-Asset Income Fund, Dynamic High Income Fund, Managed Income Fund, and Multi-Asset Income model portfolios.
Louis Arranz
Portfolio manager, Multi-Asset Strategies and Solutions (MASS) Income team
Louis Arranz, CFA, CAIA, FRM, Director, is a portfolio manager for BlackRock’s Multi-Asset Strategies & Solutions (MASS) Income team where he focuses on investment research and portfolio management.
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