Analysis

• Getting the measure of credit downgrade risk

  21 September 2016

  Investors are questioning the impact of credit downgrades on insurers' Solvency II balance sheets. Hugo Coelho investigates how firms are gauging this risk and why they resist putting a figure on it.

  

• The opportunities and obstacles of multi-asset portfolios

  14 September 2016

  Irrational pessimism and excessive caution is inhibiting insurance investors, while regulatory ignorance is blocking an escape from low yields through multi-asset portfolios, says Hani Redha.

  

• Hedge fund reinsurers feel the heat

  07 September 2016

  Poor investment performance and tight reinsurance markets have squeezed returns for hedge fund reinsurers. With some already exiting the market, what for the future? Sarfraz Thind reports.

  

• Quasi-government loans: an elusive illiquid

  17 August 2016

  Supply of much-wanted government-backed loans is short, but the UK's referendum may change that to the benefit of life insurers. Asa Gibson reports.

  

• Upholding a duty to ESG investing

  10 August 2016

  NN's chief investment officer Jelle van der Giessen on investing responsibly in tough economic times. Asa Gibson reports.

  

• Bank of England to put the squeeze on UK insurers

  03 August 2016

  Monetary easing may include fresh round of asset purchases. Hugo Coelho reports

  

• Leveraged loans an asset in waiting

  27 July 2016

  Leveraged loans are often perceived as riskier than equivalent high-yield bonds, but market participants believe this is unfair and the asset is due a revaluation. Sarfraz Thind reports

  

• The case against hedge fund divestment

  20 July 2016

  The poor performance of hedge funds has led some insurers to slash their allocation, but the asset class has the potential to produce yield in difficult markets, as Asa Gibson reports

  

• Catching the last wave of the credit cycle

  13 July 2016

  Confronted with the prospect of an increase in default rates, insurers are hunting for yield in a more selective but expansive way, BlackRock's Zach Buchwald tells Hugo Coelho

• Nordea falling out of love with illiquid assets

  06 July 2016

  Nordea Life & Pensions was one of the earliest to invest in illiquid assets, which has helped steel it against the low interest rate environment since 2008. But with risks like Brexit threatening European stability, the insurer has turned away from the asset class. Sarfraz Thind talks to CIO Jesper Norgaard