Category:

Risk Management

AXA XL appoints Nicola Harris as Head of Energy, UK and Lloyd’s market

Peter Welton, Chief Underwriting Officer for Marine, Energy & Aerospace, UK & Lloyd’s market, commented: “Global economic uncertainty resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected the global energy market, which was already facing several headwinds. Having the right team in place is an integral part of our commitment to our clients, as they manage the associated risks today and in the future.

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Fintechs seen eating into market share of established insurers, EU says

Insurers and reinsurers such as AXA and Munich Re have been investing in so-called insurtech companies, considered a faster way for them to adapt to technology changes.

Stephen Catlin, chairman and chief executive of Convex, a newcomer to the insurance, told the event that fintech firms faced a learning curve to compete with established players.

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Bank operations may be hit by unions’ one-day nationwide strike on Thursday

“Lok Sabha in its recently held session has passed three new labour enactments by dismantling existing 27 enactments in the name of ‘Ease of Business’, which are purely in the interest of corporates.

“In the process, 75 per cent of workers are being pushed out of the orbits of labour laws since they will have no legal protection under the new enactment,” the AIBEA said in a release.

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Sebi eases surveillance steps implemented to curb Covid-induced volatility

The surveillance measures, announced in March, are in force till November 26. They are aimed at ensuring orderly trading and settlement, effective risk management, price discovery and maintenance of market integrity.

Among the measures, the watchdog had increased the margin requirement for non-F&O stocks in cash market and revised Market Wide Position Limit (MWPL) from 95 per cent to 50 per cent of existing levels in a phased manner.

On Wednesday, Sebi said these two measures would be relaxed with effect from close of business on November 26.

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S&P sceptical of allowing corporates into Indian banking

“The working group’s concerns regarding conflict of interest, concentration of economic power, and financial stability in allowing corporates to own banks are potential risks,” S&P Global Ratings said in a note.

A former RBI governor, Raghuram Rajan, and a former deputy governor, Viral Acharya, also criticised the proposal, calling it a “bad” idea.

Even though India needed more banks it was not wise to allow industrial houses into banking as the history of such inter-connected lending showed it could be disastrous, they said.

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Will India’s banking system go from being state-dominated to tycoon-led?

The regulator mustn’t take the public’s trust for granted. The IL&FS debacle shows little institutional capacity to stop mischief outside the balance sheet of a traditional bank.
The report came just as the regulator solemnised the sale to Singapore’s DBS Group Holdings Ltd. of one such lender, the third failure of a major deposit-taking institution in 15 months. Before that shotgun marriage, the country had 22 universal banks (and 10 so-called small finance banks) in the private sector, with a 30% share of deposits, up from 13% two decades ago. Foreign banks’ low 5% share has remained unchanged. Dominant public-sector banks’ market share is down to 65%, from 82% in 2000.

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Howden acquiers cyber and tech specialist broker Safeonline

“Cyber as a class has been growing strongly for us over recent years and this acquisition supercharges our growth in this important market, In a stroke, it gives us the ability to service retail SME clients and enlarge our U.S. wholesale cyber book. It also means we can improve our service to large global retail accounts and grow further our Financial Lines retail capability.commented Charlie Langdale, managing director, Financial Lines.

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Giant wind turbine collapses in northern Sweden; no one hurt

Maria Roske, chief executive of windmill operator WPD, told the local Norran newspaper that there were no construction workers on site when the incident happened.

She added that she believed it was the first time such an incident took place in Sweden.Roske told Norran that Vestas will investigate the collapse because the group built the wind turbine. with Vestas, which is the manufacturer. It”s their power plant, their turbine.”

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