Description: Consensus of viewpoints from a group discussion on economic forecasting at the March meeting of the Canadian Institute of Actuaries.

Description: Investment Fallacies: Extended periods of robust macroeconomic growth are healthy for investing.

Description: This paper explores Indian futures and options market as a market for hedging by equity holders. The authors have tried to examine optimal hedge ratio and hedge efficiency, and to provide empirical evidence from India.

Description: Much of the push for ERM has come from regulators and rating agencies, but it is being applied in internal company decision-making as well. This paper reviews the progress made and the needs still outstanding in two key areas of application: optimal capital level for an insurer and risk-adjusted profitability of business units. The basic conclusion is that progress has been made in these areas, but more is needed. Building models is not emphasized—it will be assumed that a state-of-the art model is available. The emphasis is on using such models in decision-making.

Description: Panelists discuss: [1] a way to study interest-rate risk using stochastic methods, [2] a conceptual framework needed to evaluate the suitability of an investment strategy for insurance liabilities, and [3] how one company [Capital Holding] develops investment strategies and asset/liability management policies. From the 1988 Record of Society of Actuaries, Vol. 14, No. 2.

Description: Discusses investment strategies that can be used for various product-expense and policyholder-behavior patterns. These include buy/sell, hold, exchange, long-term, optimization, hedging of the business and investment risks, and immunizing strategies. From the 1988 Record of Society of Actuaries, Vol. 14, No. 4A.

Description: Insurance companies are not immune to liquidity risks.

Description: Provides some guidance on how to set a company's investment benchmark.

Description: This teaching session covers primarily hedging strategies, including mechanisms, assumptions, and simulation. Hedging used for guaranteed living benefits on variable annuities is frequently discussed. Session 7TS of the 2005 Valuation Actuary Symposium.

Description: Panelists who have been a part of integrated actuarial and investment functions at their companies discuss initial concerns from each side, the need for initial and ongoing coordination, the effect of company philosophies on the resulting combination, and realized and potential results and pitfalls. This session was held only days after the October 1987 stock-market crash. From the 1987 Record of Society of Actuaries, Vol. 13, No. 4B.