McLeod-Clarke's BlackRock Income takes aim at discount

The board of BlackRock Income has taken aim at the vehicle's discount - roughly a year after it switched the trust's manager.

BlackRock Income directors said they have decided to use their share buyback powers to keep the fund's share price trading at or around net asset value (NAV). 

Currently, the board's policy is not to buy shares to hold in treasury at a discount of less than 4%, however this will be tweaked to enable the trust to buy at any discount.

Jonathan Cartwright, chair of BlackRock Income, said 'The board and BlackRock are committed to building the company to deliver both capital and dividend growth for shareholders over the long term.  The revised buyback policy should prove attractive to new shareholders and provide reassurance to existing investors who should see an improvement in liquidity in the company's stock.'

It follows a move by the trust, which is now managed by Nick McLeod-Clarke (pictured) and Adam Avigdori, to increase shareholders' final dividend for 2012, representing the trust's first increase in its final investor payout for three years.