Assets & Investments
Falling Prices Advantage Large Reinsurers, Pressure Smaller Firms
A slump in reinsurance prices is playing to the strengths of the biggest global reinsurers, while piling pressure on smaller competitors to diversify or consolidate. Reinsurers, which help insurers ...
Republican Plan Includes Asset Tax for Largest Insurers, Banks
The biggest U.S. banks and insurance companies would have to pay a quarterly 3.5 basis-point tax on assets exceeding $500 billion under a plan to be unveiled this week by Congress's top Republican ...
AIA Reports New Business Value, Operating Profit Hit Records
AIA Group Ltd., the second-largest Asia-based insurer, said the value of new business and its operating profit hit records in 2013. The shares rose. AIA reported a 25 percent increase in the value of ...
Business Wire to Stop Selling Direct Access to High-Frequency Traders
Business Wire will no longer let high-frequency trading companies buy potentially market-moving press releases directly from the Berkshire Hathaway unit. In consultation with billionaire investor ...
Trust in Buffet Trumps Disclosure in Berkshire’s Annual Reports
For years, chemical maker Lubrizol filed annual reports with securities regulators that ran 80 pages or more, detailing everything from its inventory to pension obligations. Today, investors would ...
China Relaxes Investment Rules for Insurance Companies
China's insurance regulator loosened curbs on insurers' investments, scrapping ceilings on fixed- income holdings and simplifying rules to help the industry bolster returns. The China Insurance ...Swiss Re Expected to Trim Total Investor Payout After Acquisitions
Swiss Re Ltd., the world's second- biggest reinsurer, will probably trim its total 2013 payout to shareholders by about 3.6 percent after making acquisitions in emerging markets. It will cut its ...