BlackRock says its assets under management reach a record $15.3 trillion, alongside a rise in second-quarter profit as capital markets activity increases. Financial Times reports second-quarter net income grows 20% to $1.9 billion, reflecting stronger performance across the firm’s business. MarketWatch similarly reports profits increase and highlights that BlackRock’s assets under management hit a new high above $15 trillion. The outlets also point to shareholder returns: MarketWatch says BlackRock plans to increase quarterly share buybacks to $550 million. Quartz adds context on where the growth comes from, reporting that the firm attracts $192 billion in new client cash during the quarter, with inflows led by its iShares exchange-traded fund franchise. Taken together, the reports describe a quarter in which rising market conditions support both earnings and continued client investment into BlackRock’s ETF offerings, resulting in record assets under management.