Description: From the April 1982 Society of Actuaries meeting in Houston. Discussion of how the insurance industries in several countries have dealt with high levels of inflation with respect to the development and marketing of insurance products. Also discussed: I. the overall business and economic environment 2. the taxation structure of insurance companies 3. the availability of suitable investments 4. the insurance regulatory climate and 5. the structure of worldwide capital markets Possible applications to U.S. insurance in the 1980's were explored.

Description: U.S. bond markets have undergone dramatic changes due to the 2008 Global Financial Crisis (GFC) and the COVID-19 pandemic. In taking a retrospective view, we can see that bond markets, viewed through the lens of major bond indices, have been evolving for quite some time. Within this paper, TD Asset Management Inc. (TDAM) will explore underlying changes that have occurred within the U.S. Corporate Bond Index, a sub-component of the larger U.S. investment grade bond market, over the past decade. We will highlight key structural changes that have occurred within bond markets and why they are noteworthy

Description: Feature article discussing the newly developed Build America Bonds BABs.

Description: During March 2020, COVID-19 concerns escalated in the U.S. and lockdown measures were announced. Market returns in March 2020 were quite extreme and choppy, alternating between days of huge gains and losses. As investors prepare for the future, it is important to understand whether these volatility surges and sharp movements are understood and captured by commonly used models. In this article, we will explore equity market performance in 2020 using the S&P 500 Total Return Index (SP500TR) and the relevant equity modeling implications

Description: The article provides a summary of the Drake Risk & Opportunity Forum held on October 21, 2022. The forum was a hybrid conference that attracted more than 200 attendees from 17 states, two countries, 48 employers, and five universities. Following an introduction by the Zimpleman College of Business Dean, the forum held six sessions. First was an insurance company CRO panel followed by a panel of non-insurance company CROs. Gary Zhu shared his outlook for interest rates and capital markets. The fourth panel discussed insurance capital models. The fifth panel discussed environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria when building insurance company investment portfolios. The final session of the day was a discussion about the NAIC, how they operate, and their priorities for the coming year.

Description: Most investors give convertible securities less prominence than stocks and bonds in their investment portfolios. The attention span given to learning the intricacies and finer points of this hybrid security is quite narrow. In fact, most of us may not even know that a “golden age” existed or whether it has peaked. It’s far beyond our immediate concerns.

Description: A Balanced Outlook: The Latest Views of Jack Bogle

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

Description: This discussion focuses on the changing pattern of life insurance investing into public utilities, railroads, real estate, mortgages, corporate bonds and common and preferred stocks. This session also looks at the importance of the investment department, the impact on policyholder earnings, direct placement investing and a history of stock market performance since 1918. From Transactions of Society of Actuaries 1959, Vol. 11, No. 29 AB.

Description: The author explains his negative opinion about the requirement to value collateralized mortgage obligations [CMO] using the New York Seven interest rate scenarios.