BlackRock ( BLK) shares rose 4% Wednesday morning as the asset manager posted better-than-expected quarterly results on record assets under management (AUM).

BlackRock's quarterly results complete a banner year for the asset manager, which has sought to strengthen its position in rapidly growing private markets. It spent about $25 billion last year on infrastructure investment fund Global Infrastructure Partners and private credit business HPS Investment Partners.

Rising stock prices tend to bode well for BlackRock, the world’s largest money manager, as inflows boost the hundreds of funds it offers. The past quarter was likely no exception. Analysts tracked by FactSet expect the New York-based firm to report a record $11.