Analysis

• Size does matter when evaluating core fixed income returns

  13 September 2017

  Scott Skowronski explores how core fixed income strategies are far from a commoditised space, and how the size of the asset manager has an influence on returns

  

• Q&A: Why Swiss Re chose ESG benchmarks

  08 September 2017

  The group's chief investment officer, Guido Fürer, explains why he feels that adopting the ESG benchmarks has been the most meaningful and strategic step in its journey to integrate ESG considerations

  

• The calm before the storm: 'Investors should be worried'

  06 September 2017

  Some investors and analysts have been surprised by the calmness of financial markets at a time of political and economic uncertainty. Sarfraz Thind talks to seven senior investment professionals working with insurance assets about their prognosis for the future.

  

• Between a rock and a hard place: Japan's life insurers must invest wisely

  30 August 2017

  With negative-yielding domestic bonds, a back book with high return guarantees and a prudential solvency regulation on the horizon, Japanese life insurers are caught between a rock and a hard place. David Turner reports.

  

• 'A new breed of strategically positioned CIOs is emerging'

  18 August 2017

  Former CRO at Police Mutual, non-executive director and independent risk management advisor Vicky Kubitscheck discusses the evolving role of the investment function and the CIO against a changing regulatory and governance landscape.

  

• M&A: tipping the scales

  09 August 2017

  With a squeeze on fees and increased competition, the asset management world is realising the need for scale. Insurers have already started on the M&A trail, but there appears to be much more on the way. Sarfraz Thind reports

  

• End of the road for ground rents?

  03 August 2017

  Ground rents were talked up as a great diversifier for insurers, with stable and very long term cashflows, but the UK government's consultation paper and media scrutiny in the past week may be a death knell for the asset class. Asa Gibson reports

  

• Insurers blame asset managers for insufficient look-through

  21 July 2017

  European insurers pass the buck onto asset managers for lack of reporting data, but Eiopa pursues a hard line with underwriters facing difficulty getting hands on investment data. David Walker reports

  

• Private debt blues

  19 July 2017

  Private debt seems the perfect fit for insurance investors with its long-term horizon, better-than-average returns and graspable risk for those used to dealing with fixed income. Yet the regulatory stance on the asset has not been overly clear so far. Sarfraz Thind reports

  

• 'Bring it on': California commissioner bullish on fossil fuel divestment

  14 July 2017

  Commissioner Dave Jones was threatened with legal action from 12 Republican attorney generals who oppose his fossil fuel investments disclosure initiative. The threats appear to have spurred Jones on, however. Callum Tanner reports