(1:00) - Breaking Down The 2021 Market Performance: What To Expect Going Forward(7:50) - What Are The Biggest Risks To The Current Market?(12:50) - Growth Stocks Surge Again: Where Should Investors Be Looking?(19:45) - How Can ESG investing Benefit Investors?(23:40) - What Investments Could Benefit From The New Infrastructure Plan? Podcast@Zacks.com In this episode of ETF Spotlight, I speak with Gargi Pal Chaudhuri, Head of iShares Investment Strategy Americas at BlackRock, the world’s largest money manager with $9.5 trillion in assets under management. We discuss the market outlook and investing strategies for the second half of 2021.The S&P 500 ETF IVV gained 14.4%, its best first-half performance since 1998, the Dow Jones ETF DIA rose 12.7% and the Nasdaq 100 ETF QQQ returned 12.5% during the first two quarters. The small-cap Russell 2000 was the best performer with a gain of about 17.0%.Continued economic recovery and record earnings growth could support the market rally in the second half but investors remain concerned about rising inflation and new Covid-19 variants.Earlier this year, investors piled into value and cyclical areas that benefit from the economic reopening. The iShares Russell 1000 Value ETF IWD outperformed the iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF IWF by the widest margin in a decade until May, but growth stocks, particularly mega cap tech stocks have rebounded strongly over the past few weeks.BlackRock remains bullish on cyclically oriented value and small-cap ETFs like the iShares Core S&P SmallCap ETF IJR and the iShares U.S. Financials ETF IYF, which generally do well during periods of higher economic growth. They also expect the iShares Core MSCI Europe ETF IEUR to benefit from increasing pace of vaccinations and continued fiscal and monetary policy support in Europe.Inflows into sustainable ETFs continue to surge with the transition to a “net zero” global economy. ETFs like the iShares Global Clean Energy ETF ICLN and iShares ESG Aware MSCI USA ETF ESGU allow investors to customize portfolios around climate needs.President Biden’s infrastructure plan, aimed at improving the country’s transportation, water and broadband infrastructure, could benefit ETFs like the iShares U.S. Infrastructure ETF IFRA and iShares Semiconductor ETF SOXX. Tune in to the podcast to learn more.Make sure to be on the lookout for the next edition of the ETF Spotlight and remember to subscribe! If you have any comments or questions, please email podcast@zacks.com.(In full disclosure, Neena owns shares of SOXX in the ETF Investor Portfolio.) Bitcoin, Like the Internet Itself, Could Change Everything Blockchain and cryptocurrency has sparked one of the most exciting discussion topics of a generation. Some call it the “Internet of Money” and predict it could change the way money works forever. If true, it could do to banks what Netflix did to Blockbuster and Amazon did to Sears. Experts agree we’re still in the early stages of this technology, and as it grows, it will create several investing opportunities. Zacks’ has just revealed 3 companies that can help investors capitalize on the explosive profit potential of Bitcoin and the other cryptocurrencies with significantly less volatility than buying them directly. See 3 crypto-related stocks now >>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Invesco QQQ (QQQ): ETF Research Reports SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF (DIA): ETF Research Reports iShares Semiconductor ETF (SOXX): ETF Research Reports iShares Global Clean Energy ETF (ICLN): ETF Research Reports iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF (IWF): ETF Research Reports iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (IVV): ETF Research Reports iShares Core S&P SmallCap ETF (IJR): ETF Research Reports iShares Russell 1000 Value ETF (IWD): ETF Research Reports iShares U.S. Financials ETF (IYF): ETF Research Reports iShares Core MSCI Europe ETF (IEUR): ETF Research Reports iShares ESG Aware MSCI USA ETF (ESGU): ETF Research Reports iShares U.S. Infrastructure ETF (IFRA): ETF Research Reports To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research