Description: A summary of a seminar organized by the Vietnam Actuarial Community

Description: Review of stochastic, modeled geo-spatial risk metrics for insurance loss concentration and clustering and their counter point use for diversification

Description: For the purposes of risk management and stress testing, we characterize a spectrum of plausible extreme events, that we dub Grey Swans, by introducing a probabilistic method involving the concentration of measure phenomenon. As a result, stress tests can be triaged according to severity, probability and, now, information-based plausibility.

Description: This article addresses the role of pension risk management in the context of corporate risk management and how pension risk management strategies might optimally be implemented to increase the probability that pension benefits can be financed from plan assess and that, when and if required, unexpected increases in corporate contributions can be made without financial discomfort to the firm.

Description: The impact of Fed’s QE program on the financial markets has been enormous and profound. The tapering and the eventual removal of the stimulus will be equally enormous and profound, and may be disruptive. To adapt to the potential regime change in near future, some investment strategies have been proposed: (1) shorten duration to focus on the short end of the yield curve and create laddered portfolios; (2) reduce allocation to high yield bonds; (3) rotate out interest rate sensitive sectors such as utilities; and (4) use interest rate derivatives to hedge the interest rate uncertainties lying ahead. On the other hand, contrarians who see the QE program continuing may stay the course and consider (1) adding duration, (2) gaining exposure to high yield bonds, and (3) increasing allocation to utilities and telecoms.

Description: Describes joint meeting in February 2015 between Investment Section representatives and NY Society for Quantitative Analysts, on pension investing in an LDI framework.

Description: Each of us has our own unique talents and approaches to solving problems.

Description: As the insurance industry struggles along with the rest of its financial services brethren to operate in the current global recession, it must consider the true value of innovation. Insurers should reduce the focus on improving what they know how to do and look to what they could be doing in light of the change that swirls around them.

Description: Summary of methods and standards to use to achieve an efficient, maintainable model

Description: Discussion of the Chinese supplemental pension plans, Enterprise Annuities EA.