Best of Artemis, week ending 15th December 2013

You can read every market news story and article, week ending 15th December 2013, here on the Artemis news blog. Subscribe to the weekly email newsletter updates and for your convenience here are the ten most popular news articles from the last seven days on Artemis.

Top ten most viewed articles on Artemis.bm, week ending 15th December 2013:

1. Soft reinsurance market ahead in 2014, say Bermuda execs
   Senior Bermuda-based reinsurance executives have said that they expect challenging times ahead and a soft reinsurance market in 2014, as recent trends result in further reductions in reinsurance rates and slipping terms and conditions.
2. Volcker Rule passes with no exemption for insurance-linked securities
   Last week saw the issuance of the final ruling developed by five U.S. government agencies to implement the Volcker Rule, which is section 619 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.
3. Growing cat bond market a credit negative for reinsurers: Moody’s
   The growing size of the catastrophe bond market, which at around $20 billion of risk capital outstanding has reached its largest size ever, is a credit negative factor the outlook of reinsurers, according to a report from ratings agency Moody’s.
4. Deutsche Bank in £1 billion longevity swap for Carillion pension schemes
   A £1 billion longevity swap transaction has been completed by Deutsche Bank AG for five of the Carillion plc support services groups defined benefit pension funds, with the risk ultimately being passed onto reinsurers.
5. SAC Re to be sold to Duperreault and investor group
   SAC Re, the hedge fund style reinsurer which was launched by hedge fund manager Steven A. Cohen and his firm SAC Capital, is to be sold to a group of investors led by industry veteran Brian Duperreault and the reinsurer will be renamed Hamilton Re.
6. Swiss Re still seeking third-party capital support for Admin Re
   Reinsurance firm Swiss Re is continuing to seek investment support for its Admin Re unit, with third-party capital providers an option it is open to, according to the reinsurers CEO Michel Liès.
7. VenTerra Re Ltd. cat bond brings Australian perils to market for QBE
   An interesting catastrophe bond transaction has been launched for QBE insurance Group Ltd. The cat bond VenTerra Re Ltd. (Series 2013-1) will bring some welcome diversification to ILS investors through the inclusion of Australian perils.
8. China calls for catastrophe bonds in fight against climate change
   Issuance of catastrophe bonds and the use of other weather-index based insurance and reinsurance solutions as tools to help China fight climate change is being called for  by its government.
9. EIOPA highlights concerns on ILS and catastrophe bonds
   You know a sector is gaining traction, experiencing growth, rising in profile and becoming more mainstream when the regulators express an interest. In 2013 it has been the turn of insurance-linked securities (ILS), catastrophe bonds and alternative reinsurance capital.
10. Swiss Re to redeem two more tranches of Vita Capital IV mortality cat bond
    Reinsurer Swiss Re is to utilise an early redemption clause on two more tranches of mortality catastrophe bond notes issued through Vita Capital IV Ltd. This will take the number of tranches redeemed to four out of the six issued under this mortality cat bond program.

This is by no means every article published on Artemis during the last week, there were 23 in total, just the most popular among our readers. To ensure you always stay up to date with Artemis subscribe to our weekly email newsletter update.

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