FCG Investment Co has invested approximately $1.30 million in BlackRock by purchasing 1,371 shares, reflecting continued institutional interest in the asset management firm. BlackRock reported strong quarterly earnings, exceeding expectations with $12.05 EPS, a 12.9% year-over-year revenue increase, and a net margin of 29.68%. The company declared a quarterly dividend of $5.21, resulting in an annualized yield of 1.8% and a payout ratio of 50.39%. Several other institutional investors, including Brighton Jones LLC, Jump Financial LLC, Cadence Bank, GeoWealth Management LLC, and Forum Financial Management LP, also increased or established positions in BlackRock during the fourth quarter. Analysts have issued varied ratings, with Goldman Sachs and Barclays maintaining 'overweight' and 'buy' positions, while Zacks downgraded to 'hold'. The stock has a market capitalization of $174.64 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 27.27, and a current trading price of $1,127.80. Corporate insiders have sold a total of 66,494 shares over the past 90 days, reducing their ownership to 1.98%.

BlackRock, the world's largest asset manager, has supported Sanjeev Gupta's effort to maintain control of his UK steel business, specifically Liberty Steel's Speciality Steels UK (SSUK) arm. This support comes in the form of a financing support letter that could enable Gupta to secure tens of millions of pounds—potentially up to £75 million—from BlackRock's private capital funds. The move follows Gupta's plan to pursue a connected pre-pack administration to eliminate hundreds of millions of pounds in tax and other liabilities. The pre-pack deal is under review, with Begbies Traynor leading the accounting efforts and facing potential opposition from creditors, including HM Revenue and Customs and UBS, which previously backed Greensill Capital with significant exposure to Liberty Steel's parent, GFG Alliance. A winding-up petition hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, which could lead to compulsory liquidation. The company operates steel plants in Sheffield and Rotherham, South Yorkshire, and also in Bolton, Lancashire, producing engineered steel for aerospace, automotive, and oil and gas sectors. Despite recent investments of nearly £200 million over five years, SSUK has faced challenges due to high energy costs and competition from cheap imports. Government officials, including Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds, are monitoring the situation and have not ruled out stepping in to support the company, though no immediate intervention is expected.

SkyBridge Capital, led by Anthony Scaramucci, plans to tokenize $300 million in assets on the Avalanche blockchain, significantly increasing the platform's real-world asset (RWA) tokenization value. The funds include a cryptocurrency-focused fund and a fund of funds that holds both venture and crypto assets. The move is part of a broader trend in the crypto space where traditional asset managers like BlackRock and Franklin Templeton are embracing RWA tokenization for greater transparency, accessibility, and efficiency. The Avalanche blockchain currently has $1.9 billion in total value locked and $188 million in RWA tokenization value, ranking 12th globally. The RWA tokenization market has grown from $15.8 billion in December 2024 to $26.4 billion in early 2025, a 64.7% increase, with private credit accounting for 58.8% and US Treasurys for 27.7% of the market.

A report by Global Canopy reveals that $8.9 trillion has been directed by 150 major financial institutions into companies contributing to global deforestation. Sixty percent of these institutions lack public policies to address deforestation, despite it being a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions. Vanguard, BlackRock, and JP Morgan Chase are highlighted as major financiers, with the trio providing over $1.6 trillion to companies reliant on forest-risk commodities. Only a small fraction of financial institutions have robust deforestation policies, with just 27 actively screening portfolios, 32 engaging non-compliant clients, and 17 willing to divest. The report warns that without stronger stewardship, financial support will undermine climate transition efforts. Global Canopy urges financial institutions to improve transparency and engagement to address deforestation as a systemic risk.

US President Donald Trump has purchased hundreds of bonds since returning to office, totaling at least US$103.7 million through early August 2025. The transactions include municipal bonds from local governments, school boards, airport authorities, and gas districts, as well as corporate debt from companies such as Qualcomm Inc, Home Depot, T-Mobile US Inc, and Meta Platforms Inc. These purchases are part of his personal investment activity, which is disclosed through a federal financial reporting requirement. Trump's net worth is estimated at US$6.4 billion by the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, and his business empire, managed by his sons, includes properties like Mar-a-Lago and stakes in Trump Media & Technology Group Corp, as well as crypto ventures that have contributed at least US$620 million to his wealth. Unlike previous presidents, Trump has not placed his assets in a blind trust, and this activity continues amid policy changes affecting various industries.