Description: U.S. bond markets have undergone dramatic changes due to the 2008 Global Financial Crisis (GFC) and the COVID-19 pandemic. In taking a retrospective view, we can see that bond markets, viewed through the lens of major bond indices, have been evolving for quite some time. Within this paper, TD Asset Management Inc. (TDAM) will explore underlying changes that have occurred within the U.S. Corporate Bond Index, a sub-component of the larger U.S. investment grade bond market, over the past decade. We will highlight key structural changes that have occurred within bond markets and why they are noteworthy

Description: In this video Eric Milner, ASA MAAA explores financial risk management and hedging strategies, catering to both seasoned professionals and newcomers. It covers essential topics such as hedging techniques to stabilize portfolios, determining optimal hedging rations, and assuring risks using metrics like Value at Risk (VaR). Additionally, it delves into various risk management categories including credit, interest rate, foreign exchange, equity, volatility, and liquidity, emphasizing the importance of understanding these strategies for maintaining financial stability in dynamic markets. Contributors: Eric Milner, ASA, MAAA ; Fiona Fan FSA, MAAA; Emelia Bruera, FSA; Jon Forster ASA, MAAA

Description: Lifetime pension pools convert a lump sum into lifelong income, periodically adjusting benefit payouts based on mortality and investment experience. Volatility-targeting strategies can enhance benefit stability by dynamically adjusting the investment portfolio’s exposure to risky assets in the context of these pools, demonstrating superior performance compared to traditional static asset allocation methods.

Description: In this comprehensive exploration led by Eric Milner, viewers are immersed in the intricate realm of actuarial science and quantitative finance. The video navigates through interest rate modeling, yield curves, and financial derivatives, shedding light on their practical significance in global financial operations. Key concepts such as Cox-Ingrersoll-Ross and Hull-White models are elucidated, alongside standard yield curve models and advanced quantitative tools like the Black-Scholes model and Monte Carlo Simulations. Actuaries gain indispensable insights into managing complex financial risks, fostering stability, and resilience against market fluctuations, crucial for strategic decision-making and investment planning and risk management across various sectors. Contributors: Eric Milner, ASA, MAAA; Richard Vaccaro, FSA, MAAA ; Diyi Zhao ASA, MAAA; Jon Forster ASA, MAAA

Description: Our previous article, “Introduction of Cashflow Matching Strategic Asset Allocation (SAA) Framework,” introduced the concept and included a real-world case study that developed a liability-driven investment strategy for a single line of business (LOB) for a life insurer. This article expands the framework and the case study from a single LOB to simultaneously optimize asset allocation across multiple LOBs. It discusses how this multi-line SAA framework can enable an insurance company to efficiently tag its asset holdings to each LOB, identify opportunities in the public and private asset markets to enhance risk-adjusted returns, and develop a deeper understanding of the trade-off between the degree of cashflow matching and risk-adjusted returns across LOBs.

Description: The article provides a summary of the Drake Risk & Opportunity Forum held on October 21, 2022. The forum was a hybrid conference that attracted more than 200 attendees from 17 states, two countries, 48 employers, and five universities. Following an introduction by the Zimpleman College of Business Dean, the forum held six sessions. First was an insurance company CRO panel followed by a panel of non-insurance company CROs. Gary Zhu shared his outlook for interest rates and capital markets. The fourth panel discussed insurance capital models. The fifth panel discussed environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria when building insurance company investment portfolios. The final session of the day was a discussion about the NAIC, how they operate, and their priorities for the coming year.