Archive

  • US yield curve inversion - run for the hills?

    10 June 2019

    Like a bad tarot card, an inverted US yield curve normally means economic doom. March’s inversion has now morphed into the most inverted yield curve since 2007. It is likely to have insurers gazing into their charts to see how to tackle their investments. Sarfraz Thind reports

  • Lloyd's syndicates $100m outsourcing treasure

    18 April 2019

    In the second part of our two-part series on Lloyd's syndicates and their investments, David Walker analyses their portfolio allocations and performance, uncovering a treasure most asset managers would want a map to.

  • Lloyd's syndicates open up about investment outsourcing

    11 April 2019

    Research by Insurance Risk Data reveals the 2018 winners and losers of the mandated asset managers for Lloyd's syndicates. David Walker reports on who won which mandates, who received applause and who wasn't that lucky.

  • US bond sell off not a problem for now

    05 October 2018

    Market participants remain calm over US treasury jitters

  • Risk management and optimizing investment strategies

    23 August 2018

    Insurers want more alternative assets but struggle to evaluate the optimum risk/return portfolio

  • US insurers pulling out of hedge funds

    14 August 2018

    Although insurers tend to have relatively low exposures to hedge funds, in recent years investments in the asset class have dropped amongst US insurers. However, changes in the economic environment suggest this trend could be reversed in the coming years. Vincent Huck reports

  • Trump tax law decimates P&C demand for municipal bonds

    11 April 2018

    Last year's US tax law is destroying insurer demand for municipal bonds, once considered the most attractive surplus cash investment for the country's property and casualty insurers. Sarfraz Thind reports

  • A look back and forward

    27 December 2017

    The current year was relatively benign for the insurance investment industry. But 2018 holds new challenges. What risks and what opportunities should investors be looking at in the coming year? Sarfraz Thind reports

  • Conning to acquire major stake in emerging and frontier market specialist

    22 December 2017

    Investment management firm Conning is to acquire a 45% stake in Global Evolution, a fellow investment manager focusing on emerging and frontier market debt strategies.

  • Alternatives shine for Lloyd's syndicates

    05 April 2017

    Following the insights gleaned on rising manager fees and falling yields for Lloyd's syndicates, David Walker shines light on the well-performing fraction of alternative investments made by the sector in 2015.