U.S. Insurance M&A Rebounds in 2010
Conning Research reports that transactions increased 36% and deal value increased 224%, reversing a five-year decline.
Stocks Due for an Upturn, says CRR
Even if GDP growth remains low, corporations can use stock repurchases to boost the growth of their stock prices to match past rates of appreciation, say researchers at the...
Millionaires’ attitudes, a leading indicator, are pointing up
Some millionaires need only $1.75 million in investments to “feel wealthy," but 42% won’t feel wealthy until they have $7.5 million, a Fidelity survey found.
30% of employers to restore matching contributions in 2011
But the survey also showed that 57% of DB plan sponsors had frozen their plans to new entrants.
Americans anxious about retirement, new surveys show
More than half of workers say they have less than $25,000 in total savings and investments, excluding their homes.
In 2010, VA Industry Thrived and Consolidated
Of $136.6 billion in total sales, $21.5 billion represented new cash flow, up from $17 billion in 2009. But the net cash flow was the third lowest in 12...
No sex please, we’re British
A high court in Britain has apparently barred U.K. insurers from using gender as a factor in calculating insurance rates, including payout rates for retail income annuities. One expert...
FIAs and SPIAs shine in a let-down year for fixed annuities: Beacon Research
“Consumer demand for conservative investments with guarantees continues to be strong,” Beacon Research CEO Jeremy Alexander said. “We expect fixed annuity sales growth to resume when the rate environment...
Security Benefit issues first post-crisis annuity
The new FIA's optional GLWB provides a compounded roll-up in the benefit base of 8.2% for each year the client defers income, for 10 years or until age 85,...
New Barclays Capital index enables policy arbitrage
“The spread between European and US short-term rates... presents the possibility of extracting value,” said Jose Mazoy, Director, Index Portfolio and Risk Solutions at Barclays Capital.
Rising oil prices, vanishing stimulus worry hedge fund managers
The level of the S&P 500 and the size of the Fed’s balance sheet have a plus-88.4% correlation since QE1 started in March 2009, said TrimTabs.
Government-Sponsored Annuity Proposed
Investing in Treasury bonds to fund a retirement annuity would make individual Americans and the nation more financially secure, claim academics Terrance Odean (above) and Henry T.C. Hu.
Lincoln Financial expands DC wholesale effort
Douglas Harding and Troy Jackson have joined Lincoln Financial Distributors as regional sales directors.
AXA Equitable releases latest “Retirement Reality Show”
"In Doubt We Trust?" extends the company's video series exploring the attitudes of Americans as they prepare for and live through retirement.
Phoenix in FIA sales pact with eight IMOs
The wholesaling unit of Phoenix is developing a retirement planning program that provides formats for group and individual discussions between producers and clients.
Public pension funding crisis widespread: Cogent
A majority (54%) of public pensions report their current funding status to be below 80%, including 16% that are below 60%.
Sun Life Financial unveils VA for new LPL platform
Sun Life is one of only five VA issuers with products on the new Fee-Based Variable Annuity (FBVA) Platform set up by broker-dealer LPL Financial.
Origins of ‘Obamacare’ Revealed
The concept of the individual health insurance mandate originated in 1989 at the conservative Heritage Foundation, according to the website Procon.org.
Pension Debate Roils Japan
In January, the ruling party suggested that the public pension should be funded with payroll deductions, and that there should be a taxpayer-funded guaranteed minimum benefit of ¥70,000 ($860)...
‘New generation’ VAs proposed for Australians
The Australian government should try to deal with longevity risk by developing a “new generation variable annuities market,” according to the Institute of Actuaries of Australia.
