Populations in developed markets around the world are getting older. With that, come certain opportunities for investors, according to BlackRock. The same goes for those markets that have growing populations, leading to what the firm is calling demographic divergence. It is one of the five so-called mega-forces affecting investing that BlackRock Investment Institute is tracking.
However, the value of its health-care stocks — relative to the broader market — have risen in step with the growth of its retired population, the report pointed out. The firm sees the entire sector benefiting. "It's not just about biotech and drug discovery and innovation, but even just maintenance," Li said. One way investors can get exposure to the sector is through health-care exchange-traded funds.