Recently, Standard & Poor’s (S&P), a major financial research and analysis company based in the U.S., downgraded the U.S. government debt. The firm now classifies the nation’s finances as having a “negative” outlook. S&P’s actions have spurred the nation’s insurance and finance companies to take another look at their practices and portfolios, keen to spot any compliance violations spawned from the downgrade. The search for such violations has been slow going so far, as the U.S.’ long-term ratings have never before been downgraded. The downgrade has left many major insurance…
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Increased sales boost net income for Marsh & McLennan 2Q
Marsh & McLennan Co. has reported that its income had a significant increase in the 2011 second quarter as a result of a sudden boost in the company’s insurance and consulting business, which led to greater revenues. This New York-based business services organization reported that its primary insurance business brought in a greater number of new clients and held onto more existing customers, which allowed sales for that branch of the company to increase by 11 percent. The net income for Marsh & McLennan rose by 19 percent by the…
Read MoreAetna acquires Omaha’s Payflex. Move may have economic implications
Health insurance giant Aetna Inc. has announced plans to purchase Payflex Holdings Inc., an administrator of health savings and flexible spending accounts in the health care industry. The purchase will set Aetna back by $202 million, but shows that the company has plans to expand their operations despite the changes coming to the industry. The deal may have deeper meaning as well, which may have roots in the state of the economy. Brian Gilbreath, president of the Nebraskan Association for Corporate Growth, says that there is growing confidence in the…
Read MoreCat bonds still steady even with major disasters
After the devastation in Japan two months ago, investors were keeping a watchful eye on the stock and bond market. It appears though, that the catastrophe bond (CAT bonds) division has been holding strong. Analysts and brokers have commented that no drastic price decreases or large spreads have occurred to cause them to be worried. The recent earthquake and tsunami in Japan were what investors are calling the biggest adversity to happen since the financial woes of the Lehman Brothers filing for bankruptcy. The catastrophe bond sector is still strong…
Read MorePrudhoe Bay oil spill civil fines hit BP’s stock
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reveals that BP has been charged 25 million dollars in civil fines for the oil spill that occurred in Alaska’s main oil producing region of Prudhoe Bay in 2006. All total, BP will pay 85million dollars in penalties and civil fines. In 2006 a BP oil pipe leaked over five thousand barrels worth of crude oil on Alaska’s North Slope. Investigations show the leak was the result of a hole that had corroded in the pipeline. Five months later another leak occurred in the same…
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