• (1:00) - What Is Currently Driving Stock Market Volatility?
• (4:05) - Should You Maintain An Overweight Position In U.S. Equities In 2025?
• (10:45) - Will Quality And Growth Continue To Be The Main Focus This Year?
• (14:50) - Why Should You Not Ignore International Investments and Fixed Income For Your Portfolio
• (20:20) - Protecting Your Portfolio From 2025 Stock Market Risks
• (27:00) - Episode Roundup: QUAL, IQLT, BINC, INDA, EWJ, IBIT
•                 Podcast@Zacks.com

In this episode of ETF Spotlight, I speak with Kristy Akullian, Head of iShares Investment Strategy for the Americas at BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager, about the market outlook and investing strategies for 2025.

U.S. stocks outperformed their global counterparts in 2024 and are expected to maintain their dominance, driven by robust economic expansion, a supportive monetary environment, and anticipated tax and regulatory reforms.

While many have raised concerns about stretched valuations and the concentration of U.S. indexes, BlackRock does not view these factors as near-term risks. However, they favor stocks with growth and quality characteristics that are trading at reasonable valuations.

The iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF QUAL offers exposure to profitable companies with low leverage and consistent earnings. Apple AAPL, Microsoft MSFT, and NVIDIA NVDA are its top holdings.

Despite the strong performance of the U.S. market and ongoing risks associated with global trade, Kristy highlights that carefully selected investments in Japan and India can provide diversification benefits and attractive return potential.

Amid uncertainty surrounding monetary policy, investors are advised to focus on the short end of the curve, emphasizing income and yield rather than duration and spread.

Take a look at the BlackRock Flexible Income ETF BINC and the iShares 3-7 Year Treasury Bond ETF IEI.

Tune in to the podcast to learn more!

Make sure to be on the lookout for the next edition of ETF Spotlight! If you have any comments or questions, please email podcast@zacks.com.

Disclosure: Neena holds QUAL in the ETF Investor Portfolio

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Apple Inc. (AAPL) : Free Stock Analysis Report

Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) : Free Stock Analysis Report

NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA) : Free Stock Analysis Report

iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF (QUAL): ETF Research Reports

iShares 3-7 Year Treasury Bond ETF (IEI): ETF Research Reports

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