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US yield curve inversion - run for the hills?
10 June 2019Like 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
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Steering investments at Hong Kong's flagship insurer
06 June 2019Mark Konyn, chief investment officer at AIA Group, meets with Insurance Asset Risk in Hong Kong and explains how the insurer centralised its group-wide investment function and the potential impact regulatory changes that are sweeping through the region might have on its asset allocation. Interview by Vincent Huck
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Q&A: Introducing risk-based capital in Hong Kong
04 June 2019David Alexander, head of P&C reinsurance Hong Kong & Taiwan at Swiss Re, and chairman of the Hong Kong Federation of Insurers taskforce on RBC has been directly involved in liaison with the Insurance Authority on the introduction of the new regulation. Interview by Vincent Huck.
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Hong Kong’s insurers gearing up for risk-based capital
31 May 2019In Hong Kong, local stakeholders tell Vincent Huck how they are getting ready for a risk-based capital regime which will require them to put in place ALM strategies and define their investment risk appetite.
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Navigating the seas of illiquidity
29 May 2019Benjama Serra, senior vice president at Moody’s Investors Services, explains why illiquid investments in insurers’ portfolios are like brackish seawater, and why allocation to them is bound to increase. Interview by Vincent Huck
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Hong Kong flexes its regulatory muscles to compete internationally
23 May 2019The pearl of the Orient has been implementing the International Monetary Fund’s recommendations for stronger regulation at a fast pace. In the first part of this two-part series, Vincent Huck looks at the progress made and what remains to be achieved.
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Allianz Africa CIO: investing in nascent capital markets
21 May 2019In London to speak at the 2019 Africa Financial Services Investment Conference, Allianz chief investment officer for Africa Jens Köke, took the time between two meetings for a quick coffee – double expresso – with Insurance Asset Risk. Interview by Vincent Huck
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Commercial mortgages close up
16 May 2019Strong returns, stable performance, low risk—the market for commercial mortgage loans has run on tailwinds in the last 10 years with more insurers bringing the asset onto their portfolio than ever before. But, with a looming economic downturn, is the love affair with CMLs about to run out? Sarfraz Thind reports
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German life insurers 'happy' about lower investment results
14 May 2019Less onerous requirement to fuel interest rate reserves in 2018 relieved pressure to encash profitable investments, David Walker reports.
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CECL: US insurers getting to grips with accounting standard overhaul
09 May 2019Like IFRS 9, the US's current expected credit losses (CECL) accounting standard was devised to tackle expected credit losses in financial institution portfolios. The rules, however, appear harsh in relation to the insurance industry. By Sarfraz Thind
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