BlackRock poses tough questions to gunmakers, sellers in its portfolios

Boston

ASSET manager BlackRock Inc said on Friday it is pressing gunmakers and weapons retailers in its portfolios to explain how they monitor firearm sales and use, and it is studying the creation of new index-based portfolios of stocks that would exclude gunmakers and retailers.

The moves by BlackRock, the world's largest asset manager with more than US$6 trillion under management, amount to the most detailed critical stance by a big financial firm after last month's deadly high school shooting in Florida.