Insights

These views and opinions are those of the authors at the time of writing, may be subject to change, are for informational purposes only, and they should not be construed as investment advice or a recommendation for the purchase or sale of securities by Conning. The information may not be current and Conning has no obligation to provide any updates or changes. Individual portfolio management teams for Conning may have views and opinions and/or make investment decisions that, in certain instance, may not always be consistent with the views and opinions expressed therein. While any third-party data used is considered reliable, its accuracy is not guaranteed.

Seeing the Big Picture: Managing Total Investment Risk in the General Account and DB Pension Plan

03/03/2020

Insurers may be missing opportunities to improve net income, pension plan funding and their bottom line because of a blind spot. These companies may not see the full investment risk of their general account and defined benefit (DB) pension plan separate account. Missing the big picture may weaken enterprise risk management and lead to inefficiencies in investment strategy, possibly affecting the insurer’s balance sheet. Conning has developed a solution, based on our deep understanding of insurance and pension asset management, aimed at providing insurers a comprehensive view of general account and DB assets.


Conning 2020 Industry Outlook

02/20/2020

Conning’s 2020 U.S. Insurance Industry Outlook webinar offers insight on how insurers may wish to prepare for the year ahead. 


Pension Funded Status Tracker January 2020

02/14/2020

The funded status of the average U.S. corporate defined benefit pension plan dropped by 2% from 93% to 91% funded, between the beginning and end of January. The asset portfolio increased in value due to positive hedging portfolio performance and liabilities also increased in value, mostly driven by a drop in interest rates.


Client Case Study: Pension Strategic Asset Allocation

02/05/2020

Valida Vorsorge Management utilizes Conning software to explore ideal asset allocation strategies based on their risk/reward profile


Conning ConnText Podcast: Quarterly Investment Outlook

02/04/2020

The Conning ConnText podcast is our quarterly update, hosted by Rich Sega, Conning’s Global Chief Investment Strategist. Rich’s outlook for U.S. capital markets in 2020 is one of optimism, given that he sees conditions that could support another solid year, although not as strong as 2019.


Portfolio Opportunities in the Workers' Compensation Industry

01/30/2020

A Conning analysis found intriguing differences among workers’ compensation carriers by size, and also concluded that some advantages enjoyed by larger firms shouldn’t necessarily be exclusive to that group.


Need for Income in Low-Yield Environment Causing Many to Add BBB-rated Bonds

01/23/2020

Conning’s Mary Pat Campbell and Cynthia Beaulieu discuss insurance asset-allocation trends, the concerns of rising exposure to riskier bonds, and how portfolio diversification can help improve income and reduce risk. 


Pension Funded Status Tracker December 2019

01/16/2020

The month of December alone was a good month for the average pension plan as the funded status over the month increased by 2% from 91% to 93%. The asset portfolio increased driven by equities and alternative assets, while liabilities decreased due to an increase in interest rates.


Pension Funded Status Tracker November 2019

12/18/2019

During the month of November, the funded status of the average U.S. corporate defined benefit pension increased by 1% to 91% funded. The asset portfolio increased due to strong equity market performance, while liabilities had a slight decrease due to an increase in rates.