Industry News

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NEWS LIFE INSURANCE AND ANNUITIES NOV 14, 2008
In a first, Prudential cuts dividend

Shareholders will receive an annual dividend of 58 cents per share of common stock Dec. 19, down by about 50% from the dividend paid out in 2007.

By Bloomberg
NEWS INDUSTRY NEWS NOV 14, 2008
Consumer sentiment inches up

Consumer sentiments improved slightly in November, according to the Reuters/University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index.

By Bloomberg
NEWS INDUSTRY NEWS NOV 14, 2008
Retail sales dive to record low

Retail sales fell 2.8% in October to a seasonally adjusted rate of $363.7 billion, marking the largest decline since the data were first tracked by the Department of Commerce in 1992.

By Bloomberg
NEWS LIFE INSURANCE AND ANNUITIES NOV 13, 2008
Minorities and middle market underserved niches

Agents and advisers are overlooking an opportunity for new life insurance sales: the middle market and minorities, said Catherine H .Smith, chief executive officer of U.S. insurance at ING North America Insurance Corp., in Atlanta.

By Bloomberg
NEWS LIFE INSURANCE AND ANNUITIES NOV 13, 2008
Three cheers for fed regulation, insurers cry

“Ultimately, the consumer ought to benefit from greater regulation, provided that we heed the lesson of the current crisis,” said Christopher “Kip” Condron, president and chief executive of AXA Financial Inc. in New York.

By Bloomberg
NEWS LIFE INSURANCE AND ANNUITIES NOV 13, 2008
Execs chide carriers for 'stupid' behavior

Egregious risk taking in the name of impressive earnings has led to massive losses in the insurance industry, and now carriers need to think realistically about their pricing models and investments, executives said at a conference today.

By Bloomberg
NEWS INDUSTRY NEWS NOV 13, 2008
Jobless claims hit 25-year high

The number of individuals receiving unemployment benefits reached 3.9 million last week — an increase of 65,000 from the previous week — the highest level since January 1983.

By Bloomberg
NEWS INDUSTRY NEWS NOV 13, 2008
Fortress posts $57 million loss

Fortress Investment Group LLC posted a third-quarter loss of $57 million, or 66 cents per share, as the alternative-asset management firm proved susceptible to financial market turmoil.

By Bloomberg
NEWS LIFE INSURANCE AND ANNUITIES NOV 13, 2008
Conseco puts LTC policies in independent trust

Despite vehement objections from state regulators, Conseco Inc. yesterday completed its transfer of a group of long term care policies to an independent trust.

By Bloomberg
NEWS LIFE INSURANCE AND ANNUITIES NOV 13, 2008
Index annuities likely to become securities

The controversial proposal would move most EIAs from the status of insurance products, which are regulated only by states, to that of securities, which are federally regulated.

By Bloomberg
NEWS INDUSTRY NEWS NOV 13, 2008
Financial services industry losses near $1 trillion

Losses in the financial services industry since early 2007 are inching closer to the $1 trillion mark, according to data compiled by Bloomberg LP.

By Bloomberg
NEWS INDUSTRY NEWS NOV 13, 2008
Citi Global Markets fined $300,000

Finra has fined Citigroup Global Markets, the brokerage and securities arm of Citigroup Inc., $300,000 for failing to reasonably supervise the commissions that its brokers charged their clients on stock and options trades.

By Bloomberg
NEWS INDUSTRY NEWS NOV 12, 2008
ING books first-ever quarterly loss

The company posted a third-quarter net loss of 478 million euros ($602 million), or 22 cents a share, compared with a profit of 2.31 billion euros ($2.9 billion), or 1.08 a share, in the year-ago period.

By Bloomberg
NEWS LIFE INSURANCE AND ANNUITIES NOV 11, 2008
Bear pays $27.3M to wronged insurer

Under orders from a federal judge, Bear Stearns has paid $27.3 million to the now-defunct National Heritage Life Insurance Co., which lost money invested with Bear on collateralized mortgage-backed obligations and collateralized debt obligations.

By Bloomberg
NEWS INDUSTRY NEWS NOV 11, 2008
State Street forecast leaves some unconvinced

Shares of State Street Corp. briefly soared 9% today after its CEO confirmed an upbeat fourth-quarter earnings report. They subsequently settled back near their opening levels as investors questioned the estimate.

By Bloomberg
NEWS LIFE INSURANCE AND ANNUITIES NOV 10, 2008
AIG deal a positive, analysts say

Analysts applauded the newly restructured bailout plan for American International Group Inc., citing benefits for the insurer.

By Bloomberg
NEWS LIFE INSURANCE AND ANNUITIES NOV 10, 2008
Do-over for AIG

The Fed and the Treasury announced a new restructuring plan to help bolster AIG, including a $40 billion purchase of new preferred shares from the ailing insurer.

By Bloomberg
NEWS INDUSTRY NEWS NOV 10, 2008
InvestmentNews, RIA Database to deliver top RIA lists

InvestmentNews announced today that it has partnered with RIA Database as the exclusive financial advisory trade publication to publish RIA Database’s Top Registered Investment Advisers (RIA) lists.

By mstrickberger
NEWS INDUSTRY NEWS NOV 10, 2008
Fannie loses $13 a share; GLG Partners’ profit dips

Fannie Mae posted a large third-quarter loss, while the profit at GLG Partners LP fell.

By Bloomberg
NEWS INDUSTRY NEWS NOV 09, 2008
Illinois' Treasury acts to boost visibility of 529 plans

One of the bright spots in an otherwise difficult year for the Section 529 college savings plan industry has been the aggressive efforts of Alexi Giannoulias, Illinois' dynamic young state treasurer, to boost the visibility of college savings both in his home state and across the country.

By Bloomberg