Portfolio Update

BLACKROCK FRONTIERS INVESTMENT TRUST PLC All information is at 31 May 2012 and unaudited. Performance at month end with net income reinvested One Three Six Year Since month months months to date launch* Sterling: Share price -5.0% -1.4% 9.0% 8.7% -19.9% Net asset value -3.1% -2.2% 6.0% 5.7% -15.1% MSCI Frontiers Index (NR) -0.2% -0.5% -0.1% -0.2% -17.2% MSCI EM Markets (NR) -6.3% -12.0% 1.0% 1.0% -14.3% US Dollars: Net asset value -8.1% -5.8% 3.8% 4.7% -16.2% MSCI Frontiers Index (NR) -5.4% -4.1% -2.3% -1.2% -18.3% MSCI EM Markets (NR) -11.2% -15.2% -1.1% 0.1% -15.4% Sources: BlackRock and Standard & Poor's Micropal * 17 December 2010. At month end US Dollar: Net asset value - capital only: 121.56c Net asset value - cum income: 123.86c Sterling: Net asset value - capital only: 78.98p Net asset value - cum income: 80.47p Share price: 77.38p Total assets (including income): £76.3m Discount to cum-income NAV: 3.8% Gearing: nil Net yield: 3.4% Ordinary shares in issue: 94,766,267 Benchmark Sector Analysis Gross assets(%)* Country Analysis Gross assets(%)* Financials 30.3 Nigeria 16.0 Industrials 14.3 Qatar 14.3 Consumer Staples 13.2 Kazakhstan 11.4 Telecommunications 12.0 United Arab Emirates 10.3 Energy 11.2 Saudi Arabia 7.4 Healthcare 4.9 Ukraine 6.3 Materials 4.8 Kuwait 5.8 Utilities 4.6 Vietnam 3.9 Consumer Discretionary 3.2 Croatia 3.8 Technology 0.7 Iraq 2.9 ----- Bangladesh 2.7 Total 99.2 Argentina 2.5 ----- Panama 2.5 Short positions 0.0 Pan Africa 2.4 ===== Pakistan 2.1 Algeria 1.6 Kenya 1.5 Slovenia 0.8 Romania 0.7 Oman 0.3 ----- 99.2 ===== Short positions 0.0 ===== *reflects gross market exposure from contracts for difference (CFDs) Market Exposure 31.07 31.08 30.09 31.10 30.11 31.12 31.01 29.02 31.03 30.04 31.05 2011 2011 2011 2011 2011 2011 2012 2012 2012 2012 2012 % % % % % % % % % % % Long 103.6 105.2 100.7 101.1 103.4 97.0 106.2 103.9 98.3 100.8 99.2 Short 2.8 7.8 7.4 6.2 4.8 3.2 3.1 5.2 3.0 2.1 0.0 Gross 106.4 113.0 108.1 107.3 108.2 100.2 109.3 109.1 101.3 102.9 99.2 Net 100.8 97.4 93.3 94.9 98.6 93.8 103.1 98.7 95.3 98.7 99.2 Ten Largest Equity Investments (in alphabetical order) Company Country of Risk Air Arabia United Arab Emirates Commercial Bank of Qatar Qatar First Bank of Nigeria Nigeria First Gulf Bank United Arab Emirates Halyk Savings Bank Kazakhstan Hrvatski Telekomunikacije Croatia Kazmunaigas Exploration Kazakhstan National Mobile Telecommunications Kuwait Qatar Electricity & Water Qatar Zenith Nigeria Commenting on the markets, Sam Vecht, representing the Investment Manager noted: Market performance The MSCI Frontiers Market Index fell 5.4% in May, outperforming global emerging markets which fell 11.2% (in US dollar terms with net income reinvested). Global Markets suffered from the re-emergence of European financial stress and disappointing growth data, particularly in the largest BRIC economies. In Greece, the two dominant political parties lost ground to smaller parties campaigning against austerity which drove fears of collateral damage from a disorderly Greece exit from Euro. In Frontier markets, Africa held up relatively well over this period, with the Nigerian and Kenyan markets delivering flat returns in falling markets. The relative divergence in performance of these markets demonstrates their low integration with global capital flows and the significance of domestic factors over global factors. Nigeria is emerging successfully from its banking crisis and despite a sharp reduction in fuel subsidies hampering consumer spending, the country delivered 6% GDP growth in the first quarter of 2012. After a challenging 2011, the Kenyan market was buoyed by recent oil discoveries and falling inflation. We remain cautious on the prospects of the Kenyan economy, given a twin deficit and rising domestic debt levels. The weakest performers in May were Eastern European markets, which were impacted by deterioration in the Eurozone credit markets. In Romania, the fall of the government in April was followed by the news in May that the economy had slipped into recession in the first quarter of 2012. Kazakhstan also suffered from the falling oil price and unfounded speculation that the Tenge may follow the path of the Russian Ruble towards depreciation. Portfolio performance The BlackRock Frontiers Investment Trust had a disappointing month, falling by 8.1% in May, underperforming the MSCI Frontier Markets Index by 2.7%. For the calendar year to date, the company NAV has outperformed the MSCI Frontiers Index by 5.9%, returning 4.7%. The Company's NAV performance was hurt by positions in Kazakhstan and Ukraine, which suffered as a consequence of flight to perceived 'quality' away from peripheral European assets. Kazakh miner ENRC was a notable underperformer in May. The stock sold off on concerns that rising cost inflation and lower commodity prices would hurt cashflows. We are nevertheless encouraged by the company's recent efforts to improve corporate governance and revamp strategy. Also detracting from performance were the Company's holdings in Ukraine. Consumer staple companies, MHP and Kernel, as well as energy company JKX all suffered from contagion fears from the Eurozone crisis. These stocks have subsequently rebounded in June from their recent lows. The Company benefitted positively from overweight positions in Nigerian financials, in particular United Bank for Africa and Zenith Bank. The Company's holdings in the UAE were also a positive contributor to performance in May. UAE's domestic economy has been relatively insulated from external turbulence, benefitting from rising tourism and capital flows with the wider Middle East. Activity At the end of May, the Company held 45 long positions in stocks across 20 markets. In May, the Company covered its short positions in the materials sector. The sector looks oversold despite headwinds from the unwinding of a decade long commodity boom and China's declining intensity of commodity demand. The Company also exited its position in Pakistani industrial company, Lucky Cement, after the stock rallied near 70% since the start of the year. The Company now has no investments in Pakistan, where the market has done well in spite of the deteriorating domestic political environment. The Company has reduced its exposure to Bangladeshi telecom, Grameenphone, into share price strength and uncertainty over the impending 3G license auction. The team believes there is a tremendous long-term opportunity in the Bangladeshi market, and will look to add back exposure when the government's fiscal position and banking fundamentals demonstrate signs of sustainable improvement. Market Outlook There has been a notable weakening in the global growth environment and corporate earnings forecasts remain elevated in developed markets and are likely to succumb to further downward revisions. Extreme valuation discrepancies between perceived defensive and risky assets with US, UK and German bond yields at multi-decade lows suggests that most of these concerns are priced in. Markets are fearful of short-term concerns whilst acknowledging little or no possibility of medium term recovery. While Frontier markets will not remain immune to global growth concerns, we are encouraged by the relatively resilient earnings growth and high dividend yields of the Trust's largest holdings. Barring an outright collapse of the global financial system, the team believes that domestic factors such as positive structural reforms, improving banking liquidity and declining inflation are likely to dominate global concerns as drivers of Frontier market performance. Several Frontier markets have emerged from their own domestic crises of recent years, and addressed domestic imbalances, which leaves them better placed compared to previous episodes of global distress. The low dependence on external credit markets and low public debt levels are also strong buffers against ongoing global volatility. The Company also sees long-term value in its holdings in Ukraine and Kazakhstan, despite their recent underperformance. While both countries have their own domestic issues with low stock market liquidity, they do not suffer from the same pressing challenges as Europe. The trust holds a meaningful position in Halyk bank of Kazakhstan, which has a capital adequacy ratio of 19% and substantial surplus liquidity. In contrast to European banks which are deleveraging, Halyk bank grew its loans and deposits by 8% and 18% respectively over the past year and has recently announced plans to buy-back preference shares. The Trust's largest holding in Ukraine, poultry producer MHP is growing revenues and profits in excess of 20% annually and trades on a price to earnings ratio of just 4 times. We retain our positive view of Saudi Arabia and Qatar. After a period of absence, Saudi stocks have been included in MSCI regional indices and there have been additional signals that the Kingdom will ease restrictions to foreign ownership. The Saudi government's infrastructure spending and job creation programmes are buffered by US$540bn of FX reserves and twin surpluses. The Trust is gradually adding to its Saudi exposure, having taken profit earlier this year. We are also encouraged by rising evidence that Qatar is mobilizing its vast pipeline of planned infrastructure projects, which will be supportive of Qatari banks' loan growth. The prospects of high dollar-pegged dividend yields in both markets will also be supportive in a challenging global environment. 21 June 2012 ENDS Latest information is available by typing www.blackrock.co.uk/brfi 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.
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