February 18, 2015
The recent unveiling by the European Central Bank (ECB) of its large-scale sovereign bond buying program is just one of the pressure points building in Europe that could affect insurers and reinsurers’ balance sheets, said A.M. Best in a new …
January 23, 2013
Prime Minister David Cameron promised on Wednesday to give Britons a referendum choice on whether to stay in the European Union or leave if he wins an election in 2015, placing a question mark over Britain’s membership for years. Cameron …
January 22, 2013
Germany, France and nine other euro zone countries will get the go-ahead on Tuesday to push on with a financial transactions tax, a measure likely to unsettle banks but which will please voters and raise much-needed revenue. European Union finance …
November 27, 2012
Euro zone finance ministers and the International Monetary Fund clinched agreement on reducing Greece’s debt on Monday in a breakthrough to release urgently needed loans to keep the near-bankrupt economy afloat. After 12 hours of talks at their third meeting …
November 19, 2012
The health of the world’s economy continues to deteriorate as insufficient demand, unemployment and the on-going debt crisis in Europe undermine recovery efforts, according to the latest findings from the ICC-Ifo World Economic Survey (WES). The ICC said that “based …
November 13, 2012
A public clash between Greece’s international lenders over how Athens can bring its debts down to a sustainable level has reignited fears that the crisis could flare up anew. Euro zone finance ministers suggested that Greece, where the euro zone …
November 9, 2012
The International Monetary Fund on Thursday urged the United States to quickly reach an agreement on a permanent fix to avoid automatic tax hikes and spending cuts early next year, saying a stop-gap solution could be harmful to the global …
November 5, 2012
Leading world economies pressed the United States on Sunday to act decisively to avert a rush of spending cuts and tax hikes, warning that the so-called fiscal cliff is the biggest short-term threat to global growth. Unless a fractious Congress …
October 10, 2012
“The booming Latin American energy industry is not insulated from the threat of a euro zone collapse or hostilities in the Middle East,” warned global insurance broker Willis. Speaking to a gathering of energy companies in Foz Do Iguacu, Brazil, …
October 10, 2012
“The Spanish non-life insurance sector remained profitable in 2011, but growth remains challenging, as it continues to face one of the bleakest economic environments since the 1930s,” according to a new report from A.M. Best Co. Best explained that non-life …