Keyword
interest rates
Fighting inflation half-heartedly would be ‘huge mistake,’ Bank of Canada warns
November 22, 2023 Nojoud Al Mallees - THE CANADIAN PRESSOTTAWA – Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem warns fighting inflation half-heartedly and living with its consequences would be a huge mistake. The governor acknowledged during a speech Wednesday that interest rates may already be high enough to bring inflation…
Will rising interest rates kill brokerage M&A?
November 20, 2023 David GambrillReports of the death of brokerage mergers and acquisitions in an era of higher interest rates have been greatly exaggerated. Back in early 2023, Canadian Underwriter’s National Broker Survey noticed a curious phenomenon: brokers’ interest in M&A growth had dipped…
Why P&C execs predict 2024 will look similar to 2023
October 23, 2023 by David GambrillThanks to economic instability due to inflation and geopolitical conflict, Canadian P&C insurers predict 2024 could look much like 2023, in terms of lingering hard market conditions. “If we look at the economy…I would say that each year, whatever happens…
Bank of Canada considered raising interest rates at its last meeting
April 26, 2023 Nojoud Al Mallees - THE CANADIAN PRESSOTTAWA – The Bank of Canada considered raising interest rates earlier this month, as it feared being too slow to react to sticky inflation. In its summary of deliberations released Wednesday, the central bank says its governing council contemplated another…
What financial uncertainty may mean for D&O claims
April 12, 2023 Philip PoradoPrivate companies, including not-for-profits, face rising legal and other exposures from lenders and private investors, customers and employees that can impact Directors & Officers (D&O) insurance policies. And, over the past three years, economic volatility has emerged as a key…
How insurers can respond to interest rate hikes and market volatility
March 24, 2023 Philip PoradoHow might high inflation, rising interest rates, and current volatility in stock and bond markets impact future P&C insurance pricing? It’s too early to tell. For insurers, the current environment requires consistent monitoring of profitability and portfolio performance, said Fiona…
High interest rates crater the P&C industry’s investment income
March 21, 2023 by David GambrillDespite an 8% increase in direct premiums written in 2022, and generally stabilizing—if not decreasing—loss ratios in several key business lines, Canadian P&C insurers’ net investment returns took a huge hit from the impact of rising interest rates last year,…
Despite inflation slowing in December, Bank of Canada still expected to hike rates
January 17, 2023 Nojoud Al Mallees - THE CANADIAN PRESSOTTAWA – Canada’s annual inflation rate slowed last month but economists are still expecting the Bank of Canada to hike its key interest rate next week. In its latest consumer price index released Tuesday, Statistics Canada said the country’s annual…
Bank of Canada hikes key rate by half percentage point, signals possible pause
December 7, 2022 Nojoud Al Mallees - THE CANADIAN PRESSOTTAWA – The Bank of Canada hiked its key interest rate by half a percentage point Wednesday to 4.25 per cent – the highest it’s been since January 2008 – while signalling it may pause its aggressive rate hike cycle.…
How OSFI expects insurers to react to market volatility
November 18, 2022 by Jason ContantCanada’s solvency regulator is acutely focused on the current macroeconomic environment and expects insurers to practice ‘capital conservation’ due to market volatility, a senior executive said at an industry event Thursday. The Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI)…
Where rising interest rates will lead insurers in 2022-23
July 15, 2022 by Alyssa DiSabatinoEconomic slowdown and high inflation will weigh down insurance market growth in 2022-23, primarily affecting property and auto insurers; still, rising interest rates may actually be a silver lining for insurers, Swiss Re Institute’s latest sigma report notes. Swiss…
Bank of Canada governor says he won’t ‘rule anything out’ on rates
April 22, 2022 Adena Ali - THE CANADIAN PRESSTORONTO – On a day when the Federal Reserve spooked markets with its tough talk on interest rates, Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem says he won’t “rule anything out” when it comes to the central bank’s own interest rate…