Research and Trends News

City of London Workers Still Haven’t Returned to Offices at Pre-Omicron Levels

City of London workers are yet to return to the financial heartland in numbers seen before the spread of the omicron variant. About 60% to 70% of City employees are back at their desks, according to data compiled by Google, …

Net-Zero Emissions Pledges by Big Global Companies Have ‘Credibility Gaps’: Report

Corporate plans to slash greenhouse gas emissions fall short of what is needed to combat climate change, with “major credibility gaps” found among the world’s largest companies, according to a new stocktake of net-zero efforts in the public and private …

African Insurers and Banks Form Alliance to Tackle Biodiversity Crisis

Many of Africa’s biggest banks and insurers have joined forces to tackle the continent’s biodiversity crisis while at the same time working out how to cash in on opportunities arising from it. The African Natural Capital Alliance, launched Wednesday, is …

Hybrid Work Is Here to Stay for London Staff Who Don’t See Return to 5-Day Office Week

The verdict is in: Londoners enjoy and value working from home and don’t see a future that includes a return to the old five-day office week, no matter what politicians, their bosses or the media say. Almost 80% of London-based …

North Atlantic Hurricane Season Begins With Ripe Conditions for Above-Average Activity

As the North Atlantic hurricane season begins officially today, forecasters continue to predict above-average storm activity. The pre-season forecast update for North Atlantic hurricane activity still predicts 18 named storms, eight hurricanes and four major (Category 3 and above) hurricanes, …

Global Re/insurers See Average Premium Increases of 11% in 1st Quarter: Gallagher Re

Premium growth during the first quarter saw an average increase of 11%, which was supported by continued favorable pricing for commercial insurance lines and reinsurance business, according to a report from Gallagher Re. Underwriting results were strong with re/insurers posting …

Cryptocurrencies May Pose Risk to Wider Financial Stability: ECB

Cryptocurrencies will pose a risk to financial stability if the emerging sector maintains its rapid growth of the last two years and financial firms deepen their involvement, the European Central Bank (ECB) said on Tuesday. The crypto market slumped sharply …

Chiropractic Care Linked to Lower Injured Workers’ Costs, Faster Return to Work

Chiropractors are involved in only a small fraction of workers’ compensation claims for low back pain in states where insurers or employers control the choice of medical provider, but a report released this week suggests that skepticism about runaway costs …

Pollution Kills 9 Million People a Year, Mostly in Poorer Nations

Premature deaths from common pollution sources have risen by two-thirds globally since 2000, a dark consequence of the economic development that has lifted millions from extreme poverty this century. More than 90% of the deaths have occurred in rapidly developing …

Climate Change Boosted Cost of Japan’s Typhoon Hagibis by $4B: Study

The effects of human-caused climate change were responsible for roughly $4 billion of the $10 billion in insured losses resulting from Typhoon Hagibis that struck Japan in October of 2019, according to a new analysis of the storm. Hagibis, which …