Portfolio Update

BLACKROCK LATIN AMERICAN INVESTMENT TRUST PLC

All information is at 31 August 2016 and unaudited.

Performance at month end with net income reinvested   

	One month	Three months	One year	Three years	Five years	^^Since 31.03.06
Sterling:
Net asset value^	2.0	30.0	35.6	3.3	-17.2	62.4
Share price	3.2	22.8	37.9	4.9	-20.5	50.8
MSCI EM Latin America	2.1	31.6	41.1	1.9	-14.1	75.8
US Dollars:
Net asset value^	0.6	17.0	15.7	-12.4	-33.2	22.9
Share price	1.8	10.5	17.5	-11.1	-35.9	14.0
MSCI EM Latin America	0.7	18.5	20.1	-13.7	-30.9	32.8

^cum income ^^Date which BlackRock took over the investment management of the Company. Sources: BlackRock, Standard & Poor’s Micropal

At month end
Net asset value – capital only:	442.04p
Net asset value – cum income:	452.44p
Share price:	393.00p
Total Assets#:	£178.2m
Discount (share price to cum income NAV):	13.1%
Average discount* over the month – cum income:	13.3%
Net cash at month end**:	1.0%
Gearing range (as a % of net assets):	0-25%
Net yield##:	3.5%
Ordinary shares in issue***:	39,369,620
Ongoing charges****:	1.1%

#Total assets include current year revenue. ## calculated using total dividends declared in the last 12 months as at the date of this announcement as a percentage of month end share price. *The discount is calculated using the cum income NAV (expressed in sterling terms). **Net cash/net gearing is calculated using debt at par, less cash and cash equivalents and fixed interest investments as a percentage of net assets. ***Excluding 2,071,662 shares held in treasury. **** Calculated as a percentage of average net assets and using expenses, excluding performance fees and interest costs for the year ended 31 December 2015.

Geographic Exposure
	% of Total Assets	% of Equity Portfolio *		MSCI EM Latin American Index
Brazil	59.1	59.7		56.1
Mexico	28.2	28.4		29.0
Peru	6.2	6.3		2.8
Argentina	2.4	2.5		0.0
Chile	1.7	1.7		8.6
Colombia	1.4	1.4		3.5
Net current assets (inc.Fixed interest)	1.0	0.0		0.0
	-----	-----		-----
Total	100.0	100.0		100.0
	-----	-----		-----

Sector	% of Equity Portfolio *	% of Benchmark
Financials	32.1	31.2
Consumer Staples	24.4	20.2
Energy	11.8	8.5
Materials	9.6	12.5
Industrials	7.7	6.5
Consumer Discretionary	5.0	6.6
Information Technology	3.8	2.2
Telecommunication Services	3.4	5.5
Utilities	2.2	6.3
Health Care	0.0	0.5
	-----	-----
Total	100.0	100.0
	-----	-----

*excluding net current assets & fixed interest

Ten Largest Equity Investments (in percentage order)
 

Company	Country of Risk	% of Equity Portfolio	% of Benchmark
Itau Unibanco	Brazil	9.4	6.0
Banco Bradesco	Brazil	8.1	6.1
Petrobas	Brazil	8.0	5.5
AmBev	Brazil	7.0	5.2
Femsa	Mexico	4.5	3.1
Cielo	Brazil	3.8	2.0
Grupo Financiero Banorte	Mexico	3.5	2.5
Telefonica Brasil	Brazil	3.4	1.3
Credicorp	Peru	3.4	2.0
Cemex SAB	Mexico	3.2	2.2

Commenting on the markets, Will Landers, representing the Investment Manager noted; Performance For the month of August 2016, the Company’s NAV rose by 2.0% and the share price rose by 3.2%, whilst the Company’s benchmark, the MSCI EM Latin America Free Index, rose by 2.1% (all performance figures are in sterling terms). An underweight to Chile added to returns as the Chilean peso weakened relative to the US dollar amid falling copper prices.  Stock selection in Brazil also contributed positively to returns.  An overweight to Petrobras contributed positively as the stock benefitted from a stronger oil price and positive developments in asset sales under its new management team, which was put in place by Brazil’s new administration. An off-benchmark position in Argentina weighed on returns driven by mixed economic data and uncertainty around potential tariff hikes in the country. Our lower than benchmark exposure to Colombia also detracted from returns as the country benefitted from a rally in oil prices and a finalized peace agreement with the FARC.  Cielo detracted from returns as concerns regarding the regulatory environment resurfaced during the month. Transactions/Gearing During the month we added to Mexican real estate stock Fibra Uno given attractive valuations.  In Brazil, we took profits in Petrobras given its recent strong performance while maintaining a higher than benchmark exposure.  We exited Chilean retailer Falabella due to our increased concerns regarding the timing of a potential economic pick-up in Chile. Net cash was approximately 1.0% at the end of August. Positioning Brazil remains attractive in our view.  With the impeachment of former president Rousseff completed, we expect President Temer and his team to move the fiscal and growth agenda forward, providing an attractive background for Brazilian equities.  Peru is favoured for similar reasons relating to the recently elected President Kuczynski.  We are less enthusiastic about Chile, due to a lack of catalysts to improve growth in the near term, and Colombia given fiscal imbalances at current oil prices. We have a lower than benchmark exposure to Mexico given concerns surrounding its high valuation levels and political noise from both sides of the border.   Overall, we are positive on the asset class as a result of the ongoing reform process in many countries, the low interest rate environment around the developed world and our expectation that 2017 could potentially provide positive surprises to growth expectations. 19 September 2016 ENDS Latest information is available by typing www.blackrock.co.uk/brla on the internet, "BLRKINDEX" on Reuters, "BLRK" on Bloomberg or "8800" on Topic 3 (ICV terminal).  Neither the contents of the Manager’s website nor the contents of any website accessible from hyperlinks on the Manager’s website (or any other website) is incorporated into, or forms part of, this announcement.