Fitch Ratings
US regulatory changes weigh on consumer ABS
Analysts declare Talf a success but say consumer ABS growth could be hampered by regulatory and accounting uncertainty
Solvency II to push annuity providers to gilts
Fitch analysts say demand for corporate bonds could drop as Solvency II forces UK insurers to opt for gilts
Sovereign ratings on UK, US, Japan under fire from credit investors
After Greece, Portugal and Spain suffered rating downgrades in April due to escalating fiscal problems, investors ask if the same standards are being applied to advanced economies.
Portuguese insurers shielded from sovereign risk, claims regulator
A focus on high-grade corporate bonds in their investment portfolios is insulating Portuguese life insurers from the continued market pressure on the country's sovereign debt, according to Instituto de Seguros de Portugal (ISP), the country's insurance…
Investors dispute claims sovereign downgrades were hasty
Senior EU officials may have criticised the rating agencies for reacting too aggressively to Europe’s fiscal woes, but investors say the reverse is true and the agencies remain behind the curve.
Making Solvency II stick
Dubbed 'Basel for insurers', operational risk management under the Solvency II regime is still mystifying most in the insurance world. This case study highlights the basic issues to consider.
Holistic thinking
Insurers have been focusing their attention to ERM as the deadline for Solvency II looms – but how well is the industry coping with the challenges this presents?
NAIC decision to stop using rating agencies for RMBS heralds major change for US insurance industry
Concern by the NAIC over the veracity of rating agencies’ analysis of insurers’ RMBS holdings is leading to a shake-up in how these organisations are used in the US. Is this pattern set to be followed in Europe?
