iShares

iShares is a family of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) managed by BlackRock, one of the world's largest asset managers. Originally launched in 2000 by Barclays Global Investors as a line of index funds traded on exchanges, iShares grew to become a leading ETF platform in many markets. After BlackRock acquired BGI in 2009, the iShares business was integrated into BlackRock's global product lineup, and the brand expanded across equities, fixed income, commodities, and other asset classes.

Products and strategy: iShares ETFs aim to track the performance of specific indices using full replication or sampling. They use an authorized participant mechanism to create and redeem shares, which supports liquidity and real-time trading.

The lineup includes broad market, regional and single-country funds, sector and factor exposures, currency-hedged options, fixed-income products, and alternatives.

Global reach: iShares ETFs are listed on major exchanges in the United States, Europe, Asia and other regions, with offerings in multiple currencies. The brand competes with other ETF issuers such as Vanguard and State Street's SPDR family.

Fees and accessibility: ETFs typically offer lower expense ratios than traditional mutual funds, and iShares has pursued low-cost Core funds and a range of specialized products to meet different investment objectives.

Performance and risk: As with other index-tracking funds, iShares ETFs' returns mirror the underlying index, subject to tracking error, fund costs, and market conditions.