New York, January 20, 2026, 3:51 PM EST — Regular session
- BlackRock shares dropped amid a wider risk-off mood following the U.S. holiday break
- Tariff threats sparked a surge in volatility, triggering widespread selling across markets
- Investors now shift their attention to next week’s Federal Reserve policy meeting
BlackRock Inc (BLK) dropped 4.8%, closing in the late afternoon at $1,107.20 on Tuesday. The stock kicked off the session at $1,144, briefly hitting $1,147.46 before dipping to $1,106.67.
This move is crucial since asset managers hinge entirely on confidence. If clients pull their funds or markets slide, assets under management—and the fees tied to them—can shrink fast.
Stocks, long-dated Treasuries, and the U.S. dollar all fell Tuesday as new tariff threats reignited trade-war jitters and sent volatility indexes soaring. “This is a typical response to geopolitical uncertainty: reduce equity exposure, move into gold and cash,” said Alex Morris, CEO and CIO of F/m Investments. 1
Trump announced that starting Feb. 1, an extra 10% import tariff will hit goods from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Finland, and Great Britain, Reuters reported. The levy is set to jump to 25% on June 1 and will stay in place until the US strikes a deal to buy Greenland, the report added. 2
Other U.S. asset managers tumbled with BlackRock. State Street slid 2.9%, Invesco dropped 4.9%, Franklin Resources was down 4.2%, and T. Rowe Price edged lower by 2.5%.
The broader tape remained under pressure: the SPDR S&P 500 ETF dropped 2.1%, while the Invesco QQQ Trust, which follows the Nasdaq 100, slid 2.2%. The Dow-focused DIA shed 1.8%.
BlackRock is stepping up its ETF game, particularly in Europe. The firm introduced the iShares AT1 Bond Active UCITS ETF, which targets Additional Tier 1 bank bonds — these are bank debts meant to soak up losses during financial stress. UCITS refers to the European regulatory framework for funds. Jose Aguilar, who leads European high yield and long/short credit strategies as well as being the EMEA head, noted that “AT1s have become a meaningful part of Europe’s fixed income landscape.” 3
BlackRock closed 2025 with roughly $14 trillion in assets under management and set a new record for full-year net inflows, totaling $698 billion. “BlackRock enters 2026 with accelerating momentum across our entire platform,” CEO Larry Fink stated in the earnings release.
Still, the stock remains tied to market swings. A bigger equity selloff or fresh credit troubles could sour sentiment and curb flows. Meanwhile, sudden rate moves often jolt bond prices and shake up fund demand.
Investors are shifting focus to the Federal Reserve’s policy meeting set for Jan. 27–28, with the rate decision expected on Jan. 28. 4
