Welcome to a new era of stock-picking, BlackRock strategist says

• The pandemic has ushered in a new era for investing, according to BlackRock.
• Traders will focus above all else on beating the market, Helen Jewell told Insider.
• Earnings and other stock specifics will likely reign supreme, she added.

Welcome to a new era of investing, where "picking winners" matters above anything else.

That's the view being put forward by BlackRock's Helen Jewell, who told Insider Wednesday that the pandemic had brought an end to the post-financial crisis "easy money" period.