Insurance
Pensions and insurers give new impetus to Asia’s ETFs
Cost-conscious institutional investors are embracing exchange-traded funds (ETFs) to lower transaction fees and achieve higher returns. Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX) explores the theme of yield‑chasing among insurers in Asia’s expanding ETF…
Formosa swaptions trade under pressure from new Taiwan rules
Limit on investment by insurers is hitting issuance of Formosa bonds and related options
Q&A: EU’s Hübner on Brexit and future of equivalence
Top EU lawmaker discusses improvements to equivalence, contract continuity and clearing relocation
Prudential grows long-term care reserves, draining profits
Annual actuarial updates take net $160 million away from adjusted operating income
Poor governance is top factor in insurer failures – Eiopa
Internal governance and control risks primary cause of 14% of failures
Veteran structurer Paul Fulcher to leave Nomura
Structurer for insurers and pension funds departing at the end of September
New frontiers
Innovative investment opportunities are helping to mitigate risk and satisfy Solvency II capital requirements as insurers face continued economic uncertainty. Frederic Morlaye, managing director, insurance and capital management solutions, Global Markets…
EU insurers embrace infrastructure bonds
Solvency II-compliant infrastructure investments concentrated in handful of firms
EU insurance solvency ratios strengthen in 2017 – Eiopa
Average solvency ratio climbs to 237%
EU insurers shun ABS, real estate
Securitisations make up just 0.5% of portfolios; property 2.7%
Solvency II capital charges concentrated in two key risks
Market risk SCR averages 37% across six large insurers
Eiopa targets cyber risk in stress tests
Forty-two insurers quizzed on IT vulnerabilities
Equity hedges protect Munich Re from vol spike
Net derivative liabilities fall 95% year-on-year
Axa tackles equity risk
Efforts to reduce equity SCR boost Solvency II ratio by eight basis points
Legal woes drain Barclays' capital
A $2 billion fine from the US Department of Justice contributed to a 60bp CET1 capital ratio decline
Barclays’ cyber chief: try to break your own IT defences
Banks “must go beyond vulnerability assessments”, conference hears
BoE creates volatility adjustment ‘stepping stone’ for insurers
Dynamic VA may be used for assets that fail to qualify for matching adjustment, say experts
Power to the people: US bourse bets on retail rush into swaps
Eris Exchange hopes retail access to its swap futures will usher in new era of swaps for all
Systemic rules for insurers and funds should be mutually coherent
Leverage and liquidity risks are common to both sectors, says IAIS chair Victoria Saporta
Another Brexit: UK heading for Solvency II risk margin fix
PRA to approve local cut to risk margin but implementation may be postponed until after March 2019
Libor concerns prompt switch to Sonia swaps
Move by some UK LDI managers has steepened Sonia-Libor basis