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BlackRock’s purpose is to help more and more people experience financial well-being. As a fiduciary to investors and a leading provider of financial technology, our clients turn to us for the solutions they need when planning for their most important goals. As of June 30, 2019, the firm managed approximately $6.84 trillion in assets on behalf of investors worldwide.

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Last year was a reminder of the interconnection between politics and markets. Many investors use ETFs for an efficient, flexible way to express a market view on a political event. Increasingly, investors are also using ETF options - both to express views and gauge market sentiment ahead of and during political events. With a full political calendar planned in 2019, consider watching ETF and ETF options activity to provide insight into market sentiment.

2019 geopolitical calendar

Date Country/Region Event Related iShares ETFs
First quarter
January U.K. Parliment vote on Brexit EWU† HEWU
1/23 Japan Bank of Japan Meeting* EWJ† HEWJ†
1/24 Eurozone European Central Bank Meeting* EZU† HEZU†
1/30 USA Federal Reserve Meeting IVV†  
3/1 USA/China Potential end of 90-day trade war truce between US and China MCHI† CNYA†
3/7 Eurozone European Central Bank Meeting* EZU† HEZU†
3/20 USA Federal Reserve Meeting IVV†  
3/24 Thailand General Election THD†
3/29 U.K. Scheduled date for U.K. departure from the EU EWU† HEWU
Second quarter
4/10 Eurozone European Central Bank Meeting* EZU† HEZU†
4/17 Indonesia General Election EIDO†
4/25 Japan Bank of Japan Meeting* EWJ† HEWJ†
5/1 USA Federal Reserve Meeting IVV†  
April-May India General Election INDA† SMIN
May South Africa General Election EZA†
5/13 Philippines General Election EPHE†
5/14 Emerging Markets Announcement date: MSCI semi-annual index review (countries in focus: Saudi Arabia, Argentina, China) KSA† CNYA
By 5/18 Australia Federal Election EWA†
5/23 Eurozone European Parliament Election EZU† HEZU†
5/26 Belgium Parliamentary and Regional Election EWK†
6/3 Emerging Markets Effective date: MSCI semi-annual index review (countries in focus: Saudi Arabia, Argentina, China) KSA† CNYA
6/6 Eurozone European Central Bank Meeting* EZU† HEZU†
6/17 Denmark Parliamentary elections EDEN  
6/19 USA Federal Reserve Meeting IVV†  
6/28 G20 G20 Summit in Osaka EWJ† MCHI†
Third quarter
7/25 Eurozone European Central Bank Meeting* EZU† HEZU†
7/30 Japan Bank of Japan Meeting* EWJ† HEWJ†
7/31 USA Federal Reserve Meeting* IVV†  
8/12 Emerging Markets Announcement date: MSCI quarterly index review (country in focus: Saudi Arabia, China) KSA† CNYA
8/25 G7 G7 summit in France EWJ† EWG†
9/2 Emerging Markets Announcement date: MSCI semi-annual index review (countries in focus: Saudi Arabia, Argentina, China) KSA† CNYA
9/12 Eurozone European Central Bank Meeting* EZU† HEZU†
9/18 USA Federal Reserve Meeting IVV†  
Fourth quarter
October Japan Consumption Tax Hike to 10% EWJ† HEWJ†
10/21 Canada Federal Election (deadline) EWC† HEWC
10/24 Eurozone European Central Bank Meeting* EZU† HEZU†
10/27 Argentina General election AGT
10/30 USA Federal Reserve Meeting IVV†  
10/31 Japan Bank of Japan Meeting* EWJ† HEWJ†
10/31 Eurozone End of Term for Key European Union Leaders: Draghi, Junker, Tusk EZU† HEZU†
November Poland Parliamentary elections EPOL
11/5 Israel Parliamentary elections EIS†  
12/11 USA Federal Reserve Meeting IVV†  
12/12 Eurozone European Central Bank Meeting* EZU† HEZU†
12/20 Switzerland Parliamentary elections EWL† HEWL

* ECB meetings shown are those accompanied by press conferences. The BoJ events shown are followed by the publication of the central bank’s outlook report.
† Funds with listed options available as of 12/31/18.
Dates reflected are as of 12/31/18 and are subject to change.

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