Swiss Re completes 1bn Swiss franc share buyback ahead of financial results this week February 18, 2019 Swiss Re said today it had completed a 1bn Swiss franc (£771m) share buyback programme, ahead of announcing its 2018 financials this week. The Zurich-based insurer said it had bought 11.2m shares, equivalent to 3.21 per cent of its outstanding shares, at an average price of 89.17 frances per share. Read more: German insurance giant [...]
German insurance giant Allianz unveils record €11.5bn profit February 15, 2019 German insurer Allianz said today that its operating profit for 2018 was €11.5bn (£10.1bn), the highest in its history. Allianz had targeted operating profit of €10.6bn to €11.6bn so its result was in the upper end of its targeted range. Read more: Insurer Zurich boosts profit 20 per cent and hikes dividend The company attributed operating [...]
Insurer Zurich boosts profit 20 per cent and hikes dividend February 7, 2019 Swiss insurance behemoth Zurich said today that it boosted operating profit 20 per cent to $4.6bn (£3.5bn) in 2018. It said it is "Well on track" to deliver on its 2017 to 2019 targets with $1.1bn in cumulative net cost savings achieved out of a target of $1.5bn its profitability and return on equity metrics [...]
MJ Hudson launches Milan office to strengthen EU business January 29, 2019 MJ Hudson has opened an office in Milan as the asset management consultancy strengthens its European presence and targets further expansion. The firm launched a fund management solutions team in Luxembourg in 2017 to act as a gateway to Europe after the UK leaves the EU in March this year. Read more: 60 per cent of asset [...]
Household spending reaches pre-crisis levels as labour market strengthens and inflation falls January 24, 2019 Household spending rose to pre-crisis levels last year and family spending power grew at its fastest rate in more than two years. Weekly spending rose to £572.60 in the year ending March 2018, the highest since 2005 after adjusting for inflation, the Office for National Statistics said today. Family spending power was also £11.37 – [...]
Flawed cyber insurance policies could lead to years of litigation January 17, 2019 The majority of cyber insurance policies on the market are riddled with flaws and may not pay out in the event of a data breach or hack, according to new research. A review by insurance governance company Mactavish of dozens of off-the-shelf cyber policies identified a litany of flaws. Mactavish chief executive Bruce Hepburn said: [...]
Climate change and cyber threats among biggest risks in 2019, World Economic Forum warns January 16, 2019 Climate change and evolving cyber threats are among the biggest risks in 2019, the World Economic Forum (WEF) has warned. But the organisation said geopolitical tensions, such as the US-China trade dispute, were hindering the fight against climate change and could impact global growth in the coming year. The WEF’s global risks report – ahead [...]
City Moves for 16 January – who’s switching jobs at Orchard Street, Crowell & Moring and Stephens Rickard? January 16, 2019 Who’s switching jobs today? Orchard Street Orchard Street Investment Management, the specialist commercial property investment manager, announces the expansion of its leadership team with the promotion of Tom Chadwick to partner. Tom joined Orchard Street in 2014 as investment transactions manager following a successful six-year track record at Aviva Investors, where he started his career [...]
Former Lloyd’s of London CEO Inga Beale joins London First board January 10, 2019 Dame Inga Beale, who became the first female chief executive of Lloyd’s of London in 2013, has joined the board of business campaign group London First. The City veteran will assume her role at London First with immediate effect, having announced her departure from Lloyd’s last year. Read more: Lloyd's of London appoints successor to Beale [...]
Rothesay plans £3.5bn takeover of Swiss Re division January 5, 2019 Insurance company Rothesay Life is planning a £3.5bn takeover bid for a unit of Swiss Re, derailing plans to list it on the stock market. Rothesay approached reinsurance firm Swiss Re a few weeks ago about the possibility of buying ReAssure, the company's British closed books division, according to Sky News. The company plans to a make a [...]