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iShares Japan Equity Index Class D - Accumulation (GBP)

Sell:300.62p Buy:300.62p Change: 3.28p (1.08%)
Prices as at 19 April 2024
Sell:300.62p
Buy:300.62p
Change: 3.28p (1.08%)
You can buy or sell holdings in this fund through a Stocks and Shares ISA, Lifetime ISA, SIPP or Fund and Share Account
Invest now
Prices as at 19 April 2024
Sell:300.62p
Buy:300.62p
Change: 3.28p (1.08%)
Prices as at 19 April 2024
You can buy or sell holdings in this fund through a Stocks and Shares ISA, Lifetime ISA, SIPP or Fund and Share Account
Invest now
The selling price currently displayed is higher than the buying price. This can occur temporarily for a variety of reasons; shortly before the market opens, after the market closes or because of extraordinary price volatility during the trading day.

Our view on this Fund

This fund is on the Wealth Shortlist of funds our analysts believe have the potential to outperform their peers over the long term. However, this is not a recommendation to buy.

Japan's home to some of the best-known businesses on the planet. Plus, there are lesser-known companies with the potential to be household names. This fund is managed by BlackRock, a company with a great record of running tracker funds. It invests in more than 500 Japanese companies at low cost.

Our view on the sector

Japan is home to some of the best-known businesses on the planet. Toyota, Honda, Panasonic, and Nintendo to name a few. There are also lesser-known businesses with the potential to be the household names of tomorrow. But years of sluggish growth put people off investing in the country. Former Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, introduced policies designed to stimulate the economy and reignite interest in Japan's markets. Investor sentiment began to change but after 8 years at the helm, he announced his retirement and was replaced by Yoshihide Suga in September 2020. Suga's appointment initially offered the promise of fresh and progressive government policies and continued economic support. His tenure was dominated by the pandemic and he faced criticism over how he handled the virus. After one year in office, he stepped down as Prime Minister and has been replaced by fellow Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) member Fumio Kishida.

Performance Analysis

The fund's tracked its index, the FTSE Japan, closely since launch, helped by its low charges. Some value has been lost because of the charges involved, but that's to be expected with tracker funds.

Investment Philosophy

Tracker funds are one of the simplest ways to invest. They aim to track the performance of an index, rather than beat it. They usually do this by investing in every company in the index. This means they don't need analysts to research individual companies, which keeps costs to a minimum. If the fund's costs are low, it's likely to track the index more closely.

Process and Portfolio Construction

This fund invests in every company that makes up the FTSE Japan Index and in the same proportion. This is called full replication and could help the fund track the performance of the index closely. BlackRock also has the ability to lend shares to other investors in return for a fee. This reduces the fund's annual charge. Since BlackRock's lending programme started in 1981, only three borrowers with active loans have defaulted. In each case, BlackRock was able to repurchase every security out on loan with collateral on hand and without any losses to their clients. Although stock lending is not without risk.

question mark Manager Track Record Based on HL Quantitative Research

  • iShares Japan Equity Index (UK)...
  • FTSE Japan TR
FROM: TO:


Source: Refinitiv Lipper

Fund Track Record

19/04/19 to 19/04/20 19/04/20 to 19/04/21 19/04/21 to 19/04/22 19/04/22 to 19/04/23 19/04/23 to 19/04/24
Annual return -0.33% 24.30% -10.70% 9.50% 15.58%

Please remember past performance is not a guide to future returns. Where no data is shown, figures are not available. This information is provided to help you choose your own investments, remember they can fall as well as rise in value so you may not get back the original amount invested.

Information about the fund

Fund manager biography

Manager Name: Kieran Doyle
Manager start date: 14 March 2016
Manager located in: TBC

CFA, Director and portfolio manager, is a member of BlackRock's Institutional Index Equity team. Mr. Doyle's service with the firm dates back to 2004, including his years with Barclays Global Investors (BGI), which merged with BlackRock in 2009. At BGI, he was a portfolio manager in the Institutional Index Equity team. Prior to joining BGI, he was with KPMG. Mr. Doyle earned a master's degree in economics and finance from Bristol University in 2000.

Data policy - All information should be used for indicative purposes only. You should independently check data before making any investment decision. HL cannot guarantee that the data is accurate or complete, and accepts no responsibility for how it may be used. Benchmark data provided subject to this disclaimer.
You can buy or sell holdings in this fund through a Stocks and Shares ISA, Lifetime ISA, SIPP or Fund and Share Account
Invest now