Monthly Archives: <span>June 2012</span>

Corporate Winners, Losers Under Supreme Court Healthcare Ruling

Hospitals and insurers providing Medicaid plans for the poor emerged as the main corporate winners from the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to uphold President Barack Obama’s healthcare law, while investors in large insurers were left deflated. The ruling paves the …

ECB President Draghi Says EU Crisis Summit Delivered ‘Tangible Results’

European Central Bank President Mario Draghi said on Friday he was pleased with steps taken at the summit of EU leaders, including a decision to allow direct recapitalization of banks, but added that future aid must be tied to strict …

Stockton, California’s Insured Debt Proves Alluring

About half of the $700 million of debt issued by bankrupt Stockton, California, is insured and a few traders have carried on some speculative purchases of its bonds, investors said on Thursday. Stockton, a city of nearly 300,000 people located …

Why Chief Justice Roberts Saved Obama’s Healthcare Law

In the end, it all came down to Chief Justice John Roberts, the sphinx in the center chair, who in a stunning decision wove together competing rationales to uphold President Barack Obama’s healthcare plan. Roberts’ action instantly upended the conventional …

Drought Brings Back Memories of 1988 Crop Losses

Just one year ago Jeff Scates saw the worst flooding on his southern Illinois farmland since 1937. Today, Scates is watching his corn fields shrivel from the driest season in 24 years. “We’ve gone from one extreme to the other, …

Fitch Says Bermuda (Re)Insurers Should Weather Sovereign Downgrade

According to Fitch Ratings, “while insurance industry concerns factored into Tuesday’s downgrade of Bermuda,” it does not expect Bermuda (re)insurers to be affected, “as all our ratings of Bermuda (re)insurers remain below the new sovereign rating, which also has a …

Best Sees Indonesia P&C Sector Growth; Capital, Regulatory Challenges

A new report from A.M. Best Co. concludes that “Indonesia’s solid economy is fueling growth for a developing non-life insurance market, well supported by domestic consumption and investment offsetting a weaker international environment.” Best said there had been “stable growth …

US Grants Iran Sanctions Exceptions to China, Singapore

The United States gave China a six-month reprieve from Iran financial sanctions on Thursday, avoiding a diplomatic spat with a country whose support it needs to try to quell violence in Syria and rein in Tehran’s nuclear ambitions. With Thursday’s …

UK Banks Face New Scandal; Barclays Boss in Peril over LIBOR Rigging

Britain will expose on Friday a second scandal involving the country’s banks in as many days, as Barclays boss Bob Diamond clings to his job after regulators slapped a record fine on the lender for rigging interest rates. The Financial …

EU Agency ENISA Calls for ‘Kick-start’ in Cyber Insurance Market

Europe’s citizens and businesses could benefit from better protection for their computer systems and data if the cyber insurance market can be kick-started, according to a recently released report from the European Network and Information Security Agency (ENISA). The report …