Description: The investment grade corporate bond market continues to expand in size and is now nearing record levels. The Bloomberg Barclay’s U.S. Corporate Bond Index, representative of the U.S. corporate bond market, now measures over $5 trillion, nearing its all-time high compared to its $2 trillion mark in 2008. The BBB-rated segment of the index has experienced significant growth, and now represents more than 50% of the corporate bond market. Corporate bond market risk has increased beyond what the ratings indicate. Today's investing landscape of relatively low yields, higher corporate leverage and a later-stage credit cycle presents challenges for both insurance and pension portfolios where corporate bonds are a core investment. <br> <br>With representation from a U.S. portfolio manager, Canadian portfolio manager and an investment consultant, attendees will get a full perspective of the North American environment and how to apply this information when making client recommendations.

Description: This session from the 1995 SOA Boston Meeting reviews one and five year returns in the stock and bond markets, fund expenses for retail funds versus insurance dedicated funds, revenue sharing arrangements between mutual funds and insurance companies, the suitability of a variable annuity, recent developments with the SEC and NASD and how arrangements are structured between insurance companies and investment companies. From the Record of the Society of Actuaries, Vol. 21, No. 4b.

Description: 1994 SOA Spring Meeting, Orlando. The first report on a study of bond investment results of life insurance companies with high-yield bond portfolios was presented at this session. The study, covering years 1986-92, was commissioned by the Society of Actuaries Ufe Insurance Practice Research Committee.

Description: The article describes the IRS Industry Issue Resolution (IIR) process as applied to the Insurance Industry&#39;s Bad Debt Issue. The article describes the IRR process in general, how that process was applied to the bad debt issue, and the safe harbor approach available for insurance companies. The safe harbor is described in LB&amp;I Commissioner Heather Maloy&#39;s Directive dated July 30, 2012 (LB&amp;I-4-0712-009).

Description: This Guide lists sources that the actuary may use to gain knowledge on investments and asset/liability management. Its purpose is to make available a preliminary road map for the actuary seeking direction to enhance his or her knowledge in these areas.

Description: Discusses determining the internal rate of return on short sales of investments.

Description: This article discusses how FHLB advances, i.e. low cost loans, can supply valuable risk management benefits. By carefully structuring an advance to mature coincident with the anticipated premium inflows generated by insurance products, a company can largely eliminate future net cash flows and consequently the need to invest them in uncertain capital markets.

Description: Investment opportunities are driven by events in the economy and how participants in the financial markets react to those events. This keynote address will highlight current economic themes and their impact on investment opportunities.

Description: The Long and Short (Runs) of Investing in Equities by Peter Yoo from Risks and Rewards Newsletter, March 1999, Issue No. 32.

Description: Society of Actuaries (SOA) Research Institute’s Committee on Finance Research (CFR) and SOA Investment Section are interested in an exploration of the impact of Artificial Intelligence on investment professionals from a variety of perspectives. The result of this effort is intended to provide a useful resource for readers to become well-grounded on the issues surrounding the impact of these tools in an investment context and set the stage for future research.