Conning has written a number of articles about the current inflationary environment, including the drivers and impact on insurers. Conning’s expertise on the subject has also been captured in recent news articles. Below are links to our publications and news articles featuring Conning spokespeople (note some news items may be for subscriber-access only).
What Recession Would Mean for Insurance Investment Managers
11/28/2022
Rich Sega, Global Chief Investment Strategist, discusses what a potential recession could mean for insurance portfolio managers in an Insurance Business article.
Companies' Increasing Cost to Refinance in Rising Rate Environment
09/28/2022
Matt Daly, head of corporate and municipal teams at Conning, commented about the increased cost for companies to refinance in a rising rate environment.
Opportunities for Insurers Within a Shifting Credit Cycle
09/21/2022
Matt Daly, head of Conning’s Corporate and Municipal Teams, provides an overview of strategies that may help insurers manage through the current market challenges.
Octagon's Mike Nechamkin featured on the Last Tranche
08/30/2022
In this episode of the Last Tranche, Mike Nechamkin, chief investment officer and senior portfolio manager at Conning’s affiliate, Octagon Credit Investors, discusses the reasons he believes are behind the recovery in loan prices in recent weeks.
Cindy Beaulieu Discusses Possible Next Steps from Fed Prior to Jackson Hole Meeting with The New York Times
08/24/2022
Cindy Beaulieu, chair of Conning’s Investment Policy Committee, offered her views of how the Fed might frame its future policy during its annual Jackson Hole gathering and what that might mean for markets.
Matt Reilly Discusses Market Volatility and Economy Uncertainty with AM Best TV
08/12/2022
Matt Reilly, a managing director, speaks with AM Best TV about how market volatility and economic uncertainty are causing many insurers to adopt more defensive investment strategies, a move that may impact growth prospects.
Don Townswick Comments on Equity Markets in Dow Jones MarketWatch
08/11/2022
Don Townswick Comments on Equity Markets in Dow Jones MarketWatch.
Interest Rates are Rising, Will the Life Industry be Left Behind?
08/04/2022
Early in 2020, reflecting responses to the emerging Covid-19 pandemic, ten-year Treasury rates decreased below 1% for the first time in history and were under 1% for the rest of that year. Interest rates recovered in 2021 and have been increasing in 2022 as the Federal Reserve responds to inflation by increasing the Federal Funds rate.
Equity Investing for Insurers: Keeping Steady on the Till in Rough Seas
08/01/2022
Matt Reilly from Conning’s Institutional Solutions team offers insights on equity allocations among insurers and explains that equity remains an important portfolio asset, despite the recent decline in equity values and higher volatility. This is the second in the “Risk Matters” series focusing on helping insurers understand current investment risks and how modelling can help develop holistic enterprise solutions.
Cindy Beaulieu Quoted in Investor’s Business Daily on Inflation Signals and China
08/01/2022
Cindy Beaulieu discusses how relations with China may impact the current inflationary environment with Investor’s Business Daily.
Conning ConnText Podcast: Challenges to Economy Continue but U.S. Remains Bright Spot Amid Troubled Global Times
07/29/2022
In the Conning ConnText podcast for the third quarter, Rich Sega, Global Chief Investment Strategist, discusses the many current challenges for insurance company investment portfolios. His guest, Tom Cloutier, a CMBS expert, discusses real estate, the various fixed income sectors related to it, and opportunities for insurers.
Inflation Effects on the Property-Casualty Sector
07/27/2022
Inflation has changed from a potential problem for the U.S. economy to an embedded feature of the current operating environment. This creates a situation unfamiliar to most insurance company management teams: there are few industry executives who were in leadership roles the last time inflation reached above the 7% level. Elevated and persistent inflation creates an array of issues, unfamiliar situations, and unexpected dynamics that must be managed, with implications for pricing, reserving, and investment management.
Cindy Beaulieu Discusses Fed’s July Rate Hike with The Wall Street Journal
07/27/2022
Cindy Beaulieu, chair of Conning’s Investment Policy Committee, explained that the 75-basis-point rate hike the Fed announced was less severe than many expected. about fighting inflation.
Course Correction: As investment environment becomes “risk off,” insurers revisit portfolio strategies
06/28/2022
Rich Sega, Global Chief Investment Strategist, discusses how global events and market disruptions are causing many insurers to revisit investment strategies in the new “risk off” environment.
Dividend Equity Strategies: Managing Higher Volatility, Rising Interest Rates and Inflation
06/22/2022
Donald Townswick, Director of Equity Strategies, explains how dividend-paying equity strategies may be a more appropriate equity solution for insurance portfolios.
CLOs: Helping Insurers Manage Duration Risk Amid Rising Interest Rates
06/01/2022
Paul Norris, Head of Structured Products at Conning, and Gretchen Lam, a senior portfolio manager at affiliate Octagon Credit Investors, explain the current opportunities in CLO securities for insurers.
Rising Inflation: What’s the MPL Industry to Do?
05/16/2022
Bill Burns and Lauryn Kothavale of Conning’s Insurance Research team examine the potential impact of inflation on the MPL industry.
Matthew Reilly Discusses Rising Interest Rates with AM Best
05/04/2022
Matthew Reilly, Managing Director in Conning’s Institutional Solutions group, comments on rising interest rates in an AM Best Best's Review article.
Cindy Beaulieu Discusses Rising Interest Rates and Potential Benefits for Insurers with AM Best
04/27/2022
Cindy Beaulieu, Managing Director and Head of Conning Investment Policy Committee, spoke with AM Best about rising interest rates and potential benefits for insurers’ investment portfolios.
Inflation for P&C Insurers: Managing Risks to Both Sides of the Balance Sheet
03/14/2022
Matt Reilly and Yazeed Abu-Sa’a from the Institutional Solutions team offer insights to help P&C insurers prepare to manage the impact of inflation. This is the first in the “Risk Matters” series focusing on helping insurers understand current investment risks and how modelling can help develop holistic enterprise solutions.
Esoteric ABS Q&A: Potential Relative Value During Market Disruptions
02/28/2022
Paul Norris, Head of Structured Products, discusses why current market conditions may be supportive of esoteric ABS.