New listing rules and jitters over Europe pull FTSE down December 14, 2011 WEAKNESS in risk-sensitive commodity issues and banks dragged Britain’s FTSE 100 index lower yesterday, with concerns over the Eurozone debt crisis ratcheted up as Italy’s borrowing costs expanded to a record high. Italy had to pay 6.47 per cent on five-year bonds in an auction yesterday, up from a previous euro era record high of [...]
Comply with Solvency II and boost profits too December 14, 2011 WITH Solvency II set to come into force at the end of 2012, insurers need to make themselves compliant with a new wave of regulatory requirements, aimed at revising capital requirements and risk management, supplanting the existing Solvency rules. But rather than simply being an exercise in regulatory compliance, applying the directive should be seen [...]
THE INTEGRAL ROLE OF IT NETWORKS IN INSURANCE SUCCESS December 14, 2011 WHAT ROLE DOES IT AND THE NETWORK REALLY PLAY IN THE INSURANCE SECTOR? Insurance companies are facing increasing pressures not only from regulation, but from more demanding customers. Aging technology systems just will not fit the bill and insurance executives need to stay focused on using IT and the network to improve core operations including [...]
Embrace new technology to get ahead of the competition December 14, 2011 AS WELL as regulatory compliance, insurance companies are being forced to adapt to new and ever shifting consumer demands. Technology is allowing insurers to innovate with products such as pay-as-you-drive insurance models, but also allows them to change the way that they interact with customers. CHANGING BUSINESS MODELS As in banking, it is no longer [...]
Slump goes on as all eyes on the Fed December 13, 2011 Stocks fell for a second consecutive day yesterday after the Federal Reserve gave no hints of new stimulus measures to offset the effects of the worsening European debt crisis. Though the Fed did leave the door open to further easing next year, as it has done after recent meetings, it gave no indication it was [...]
Investors stay wary despite energy fuelling rise on FTSE December 13, 2011 THE FTSE 100 rebounded in low volume yesterday, with energy stocks rallying on the back of soaring oil prices. The oil and gas sector index rose 2.3 per cent, tracking a rise in the price of crude. That came after the International Energy Agency said it expected demand growth next year, and Citigroup raised its [...]
Bursting the Eurozone’s AAA rated bubble December 13, 2011 WITH the long-term health of the AAA-ratings of the core Eurozone countries looking shaky at best, is it going to be a case of last man standing for Europe? And will the credit ratings agencies end up deciding the direction of the haven currency flows? Sarkozy has been telling anyone who will listen that, should [...]
FOREX ANALYST PICKS December 13, 2011 FOREX STRATEGIST JOHN KICKLIGHTER My pick: Long dollar-Swiss franc; long euro-Swiss franc; short Aussie-Kiwi Expertise: Fundamental analysis with risk management Average time frame of trades: 1 day to 1 week Risk trends are still not consistent for capital and forex markets and because of end-of-year liquidity issues, I‘m hesitant to take positions requiring a meaningful [...]
THE TIPSTER December 13, 2011 THE euro traded at more than a two month low against the dollar, as the grim reapers of the credit rating world said that the recent EU summit didn’t indicate a solution for the Eurozone debt crisis. While we might see some small squeezes in euro-dollar, traders should be cautious, as this is a bear [...]
Eurozone woes will strengthen the dollar December 13, 2011 CMC MARKETS MICHAEL HEWSON Given the problems within the euro area, the dollar looks as if it could post further gains as we head into 2012. However, talk of further easing from the Fed may weigh on the greenback in the medium term, especially with the political deadlock between Republicans and Democrats in the lead [...]