Merrill Lynch Latin Amer Inv. Trust
21 February 2007
MERRILL LYNCH LATIN AMERICAN INVESTMENT TRUST PLC
All information is at 31 January 2007 and unaudited.
Performance at month end is calculated with net income reinvested
One Three *Since One Three Five
Month Months launch Year Years Years
Sterling:
Net asset value 2.2% 15.4% 13.6% 16.0% 155.3% 155.7%
Share price 0.7% 14.9% 13.0% 23.4% 211.5% 228.4%
MSCI EM Latin American 1.7% 12.2% 11.8% 12.9% 182.8% 198.4%
US Dollars:
Net asset value 2.2% 18.4% 28.2% 27.8% 174.5% 254.2%
MSCI EM Latin American 1.7% 15.2% 26.2% 24.4% 204.1% 313.2%
Sources: BlackRock MLIM, Standard & Poor's Micropal.
*Date which BlackRock MLIM took over the investment management of the Company.
At month end
Net asset value*: 408.99p
Share price: 390.00p
Total assets: £193.2m
Discount: 4.6%
Gearing: 0.0%
Net yield: 1.3%
Ordinary shares in issue: 47,789,753
includes 13 months net revenue equal to 4.84p (after interim dividend paid of 1.31p (2.5 cents)).
Geographical Regional Exposure % of Total Assets
Brazil 62.3
Mexico 28.6
Chile 6.4
Argentina 2.6
Colombia 0.7
Panama 0.7
Net current liabilities (1.3)
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Total 100.0
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Ten Largest Equity Investments (in alphabetical order)
Company Country of Risk
AmBev Brazil
America Movil Mexico
Banco Bradesco Brazil
Corporation Geo Mexico
CVRD Brazil
Grupo Televisa Mexico
Petrobras Brazil
Tenaris Argentina
Unibanco Brazil
Walmart de Mexico (Walmex) Mexico
Commenting on the markets, Will Landers, representing the Investment Manager
noted:
Performance
For the month of January 2007, the Merrill Lynch Latin American Investment Trust
posted a 2.2% increase in its NAV and a 0.7% appreciation for its shares (all in
USD). This compared favorably with the 1.7% return posted by the Trust's
benchmark, the MSCI EM Latin America Free Index.
The approximate 50 basis points outperformance during the first month of the
year was derived mostly from positive stock selection in Brazil and Mexico. The
Company's overweight holding in CVRD was the largest contributor to positive
performance, followed by several mid- and small-cap names in Brazil and Chile.
This was partially offset by negative stock selection in Mexico, where the
Company's overweight position in Cementos Moctezuma and underweight stake in
Telmex were the largest detractors from performance.
Transactions/Leverage
During January, we rotated stocks between countries, but did not make
significant changes to country weights. In Brazil, we increased the Company's
exposure to the homebuilding, cable TV, steel and mining sectors, while reducing
our exposure to healthcare, utilities, ethanol and wireline telecommunications.
In Mexico, we increased the Company's position in America Movil and Televisa
while reducing exposure slightly to homebuilders and beverages. We also took
some profits in Colombia due to concerns regarding BanColombia's results.
Leverage remained at 0% during the month.
Positioning
The portfolio continues to be positioned to benefit from continued strength in
the Brazilian market and select sectors in Mexico. Overall, the portfolio is
tilted towards growth in the various domestic economies. In Brazil, we expect
interest rates to continue to fall, which along with low inflation and growing
income/employment should result in stronger domestic economic growth. In
Mexico, the Company's largest position continues to be a pan-regional play on
profitable wireless growth via America Movil - we are also overweight
homebuilders and retailers. Retailers also represent an overweight position in
the Company's Chilean portfolio, along with airlines and financials, as we look
to participate in another year of over 5% GDP growth in Chile. We are
underweight in materials and energy, but have an overweight position in CVRD and
are neutral on Brazilian steels (via Usiminas, where we are overweight at the
stock level). Overall, we remain positive on the prospect for Latin American
markets in 2007 given a stable macro environment, benign global risk appetite,
strong earnings growth and attractive valuations relative to the other global
markets.
Latest information is available by typing www.blackrock.co.uk/its on the
internet, 'BLRKINDEX' on Reuters, 'BLRK' on Bloomberg or '8800' on Topic 3 (ICV
terminal).
21 February 2007
This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
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