Portfolio Update

BLACKROCK GREATER EUROPE INVESTMENT TRUST plc All information is at 28 February 2011 and unaudited. Performance at month end with net income reinvested One Three One Three Since Launch Month Months Year Years (20 Sep 04) Net asset value* 2.0% 12.8% 25.4% 33.9% 139.4% (Undiluted) Net asset value* 1.7% 10.8% 22.4% 30.8% 133.7% (Diluted) Share price 0.8% 10.1% 26.5% 29.3% 125.0% FTSE World Europe ex UK 1.2% 11.8% 12.4% 11.7% 89.9% Sources: BlackRock and DataStream * Net asset value and share price performance includes the subscription share reinvestment, assuming the subscription share entitlement per share was sold and the proceeds reinvested on the first day of trading. At month end Net asset value (capital only): 214.11p Net asset value (including income): 214.66p** ** Includes net revenue of 0.55p Net asset value (capital only)***: 209.08p Net asset value (including income)***: 209.54p Share price: 201.00p Discount to NAV (capital only): 6.1% Discount to NAV (including income): 6.4% Discount to NAV (capital only)***: 3.9% Discount to NAV (including income)***: 4.1% Subscription share price: 27.75p Gearing (including income): 2.5% Net yield: 1.6% Total assets (including income): £214.0m Ordinary shares in issue: 97,208,326# Subscription shares in issue: 18,742,451 *** Diluted for subscription shares. # Excluding 2,898,166 shares held in treasury. Benchmark Sector Analysis Total Assets Index (%) Country Analysis Total Assets (%) (%) Financials 22.0 23.8 France 27.7 Industrials 20.7 13.7 Switzerland 13.1 Consumer Goods 15.1 14.8 Germany 10.7 Oil & Gas 10.1 10.5 Finland 8.8 Basic Materials 9.5 8.2 Denmark 7.6 Health Care 6.1 8.4 Netherlands 5.5 Consumer Services 5.7 4.7 Spain 4.7 Utilities 2.9 6.6 Italy 4.1 Technology 2.9 3.3 Norway 3.7 Telecommunications 2.3 6.0 Sweden 3.0 Net current assets 2.7 - Russia 1.7 ----- ----- Ireland 1.5 100.0 100.0 Portugal 1.0 ===== ===== Belgium 0.9 Czech Republic 0.9 Other 2.4 Net current assets 2.7 ----- 100.0 ===== Ten Largest Equity Investments (in alphabetical order) Company Country of Risk Banco Santander Spain Eutelsat France Intesa Sanpaolo Italy Legrand France Novo Nordisk Denmark Schneider Electric France Swatch Switzerland Syngenta Switzerland Technip France Vopak Netherlands Commenting on the markets, Vincent Devlin, representing the Investment Manager noted: Fund Performance & Attribution During the month the Company returned 2.0%, performing better than the reference index, the FTSE World Europe ex UK Index (net), which gained 1.2%. Following January's sector rotation, February saw a continuation of macroeconomic uncertainty in the European region. Political unrest in North Africa and the Middle East caused the oil price to touch US$120 per barrel as concerns over supply prevailed. However, the fourth quarter earnings announcements allowed company fundamentals to reassert themselves in many cases. European companies continued to see strong demand through the quarter, although margins were squeezed in some sectors by rising input costs. At a sector level, the Company's lower weighting in the financials sector detracted from returns, as did the higher weighting in consumer services as the sector underperformed. However, the Company did somewhat benefit from its lower weighting in utilities and a higher weighting in the oil & gas sector. Positions that performed well during the month included CGG Veritas, the seismic services company which benefited after reporting very strong fourth quarter earnings and Dogan Sirketler, a Turkish company operating in the energy sector. In addition, positions in pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk and Finnish winter tyre company Nokian Renkaat both continued to perform well. However, stock selection in the industrials sector went against us as Swedish ballbearing manufacturer SKF reported disappointing earnings at the beginning of the month. In terms of positioning, the Company remains overweight industrials, basic materials, oil & gas and consumer services and underweight technology, financials, healthcare, utilities, telecoms and consumer goods. Outlook Following January's significant rotation, we remain positive on the outlook for European equities in 2011. Whilst the peripheral debt concerns within the region have not yet subsided, we believe that much of the potential downside associated with a peripheral default is reflected in valuations and, as we have previously mentioned, it is important to recognise that peripheral Europe is a small part of the European economy and a smaller part of the Europe ex UK stock market. Indeed, in contrast with the periphery, we believe that the predominant core and Northern European region is one of the healthiest parts of the developed world, as reflected by both rising consumer confidence and strong momentum in the industrial cycle. The region offers a broad selection of well-managed companies that are able to access the strongest areas of global growth through high quality product offerings, and we believe that European equities have the ability to deliver mid-teens earnings growth in 2011. 18 March 2011 ENDS 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). 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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