Assets & Investments
Hard Market Will Come; Question Is When, Swiss Re Says
In its latest sigma report forecasting profits and premium growth for insurers over the next two years, Swiss Re says the eventuality of a hard market is a given—it's just a matter of when. ...
Greece, BlackBerry: ‘Cautious’ Bets for Fairfax Financial’s Watsa
Bets on debt-ravaged Greece or ailing phone maker BlackBerry would make many investors flee, but for Prem Watsa both are part of a "cautious" strategy he employs to manage Fairfax Financial's $23.3 ...
Allstate Launches Program to Focus on Minority-Controlled Asset Managers
The Allstate Corporation announced Tuesday that the company is launching its first emerging manager program to invest with smaller private equity and private real estate equity asset managers, with a ...
Zurich Insurance Seeks to Boost Investor Confidence, May Lower Target
Zurich Insurance Group AG Chief Executive Officer Martin Senn will probably reduce a profitability target after Switzerland's biggest insurer said it may struggle to meet some goals set in 2010. ...
Hartford Bailout Warrants Double in 3 Years Since Auction, Aiding Paulson, Berkowitz
Hartford Financial Services Group Inc. warrants climbed to twice the price they sold for in a U.S. Treasury Department auction three years ago, benefiting investors such as Bruce Berkowitz and John ...Markel Authorizes Repurchase of $300 Million of Insurer’s Stock
Markel Corp., the insurer that bought Alterra Capital Holdings Ltd., authorized the repurchase of up to $300 million of its shares. The insurer replaced a 2010 buyback program under which about $101 ...
Hartford’s McGee Shares Lessons from Clash with Activist Investor Paulson
Liam McGee, who led a rebound at Hartford Financial Services Group Inc. after shunning John Paulson's call to split the insurer, said executives shouldn't be defensive when handling activist ...
German Finance Minister Vows to Help Insurers Burdened by Low Interest Rates
German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble issued an unusual warning to the European Central Bank on Thursday, saying rate decisions must not offer "false stimulus" and that monetary policy alone ...