BlackRock offers portfolios tailored specifically for women

BlackRock Inc. is launching investment products designed for female investors.

The world’s largest asset manager has created “model portfolios” that take into account gender discrepancies around life expectancy, time in the workforce and income, according to a statement Thursday.

BlackRock said its research found that female investors could benefit from being exposed to more risk during certain critical periods in their lifetimes. One major difference for women is that, on average, they live five years longer than men and spend around a year out of the workforce to care for family. 

Compared to a gender-neutral model, one for women is weighted more heavily to growth assets, with about a 1% greater allocation at age 40 and as much as 9% more at about age 55, according to BlackRock. To mitigate the effects of inflation, the model also includes holdings in commodities, inflation-protected Treasury securities and real estate.

Lisa O’Connor, managing director and global head of model portfolio solutions, said at a news conference that the model combines passive, index-linked investments and securities picked by active fund managers.

The portfolios will help female clients “achieve their financial goals,” Carrie Schroen, a divisional director at BlackRock, said in the statement. 

“This is especially relevant as women hold an increasingly larger share of global wealth,” she said.

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