Core Viewpoint - The five major listed insurance companies in A-shares have distributed a total of 90.789 billion yuan in cash dividends for the year 2024, reflecting a year-on-year growth of 20.21%, indicating the industry's overall profitability and the increasing emphasis on investor returns under policy guidance [2][3]. Summary by Sections Dividend Distribution - The five major insurance companies have completed their dividend distributions for 2024, with a total payout of 90.789 billion yuan, marking a 20.21% increase from the previous year [2]. - New China Life Insurance's dividend plan stands out, with a cash dividend of 1.99 yuan per share, totaling 6.208 billion yuan, and a combined cash dividend of 7.893 billion yuan for 2024, showing a nearly 200% year-on-year increase [3]. - China Pacific Insurance distributed a cash dividend of 1.08 yuan per share, totaling 10.39 billion yuan, contributing to the overall dividend total of 86.318 billion yuan for the five companies [5]. Profitability and Financial Performance - The five major insurance companies reported a total investment income of 796.92 billion yuan for 2024, a year-on-year increase of 113.91%, and a net profit attributable to shareholders of 347.6 billion yuan, up 77.72% [5]. - The strong profitability provides a solid financial foundation for the increased dividends, with companies like Ping An maintaining a stable profit and market share, allowing for consistent shareholder returns [6]. Regulatory Environment and Strategic Implications - The implementation of the new "National Nine Articles" and the "Market Value Management Guidelines" has reshaped the dividend logic of insurance companies, linking dividend distributions to controlling shareholder reductions and refinancing access [2][7]. - The regulatory environment encourages companies to increase the frequency of dividends, which aligns with the policy direction and helps maintain a balance between dividend payouts and business development [2][6]. Divergence in Dividend Strategies - There is a notable divergence in dividend strategies among the five major insurance companies, with Ping An achieving a 13-year consecutive growth in dividends, while New China Life's dividends surged nearly 200% [5][6]. - The differences in dividend strategies may stem from varying short-term performance and long-term strategic positioning, with mature companies focusing on higher dividends and growth-stage companies prioritizing business expansion [6][8]. Challenges and Future Considerations - Despite the high growth in mid-term dividends, concerns about sustainability arise due to market competition and declining interest rates, which may necessitate a balance between dividends and capital adequacy [7][10]. - To transition mid-term dividends from an "encouragement policy" to a "common practice," further institutional support is needed, including tax incentives for long-term shareholders and improved profit adjustment mechanisms [9][10].

Core Insights - The approval of Taiping Private Securities Fund marks a significant step in the long-term investment pilot program for insurance funds in China [1][2][3] - The pilot program aims to allow insurance companies to establish private securities funds primarily targeting the secondary market for stocks, with a focus on long-term holdings [2][3] - As of now, a total of six insurance-related private securities investment funds have been approved and are operational [4][6] Group 1: Approval and Establishment - Taiping Asset has received approval from the National Financial Regulatory Administration to establish Taiping (Shenzhen) Private Securities Investment Fund Management Co., marking it as one of the pilot cases for long-term investment by insurance funds [1][2] - The long-term investment pilot program has seen three batches of approvals, with the first batch in October 2023 involving China Life and Xinhua Insurance, each contributing 25 billion yuan to establish a 50 billion yuan fund [2][4] Group 2: Fund Operations and Management - Currently, there are six operational insurance-related private securities investment funds, including those managed by Guofeng Xinghua, Taikang, and Taibao [4][6] - The first pilot fund, Honghu Zhi Yuan, managed by Guofeng Xinghua, began investing in March 2024 with a total scale of 50 billion yuan fully deployed [4][6] - The second phase of the Honghu fund series was established in May 2024 with a total scale of 20 billion yuan, equally subscribed by Xinhua Insurance and China Life [5][6] Group 3: Strategic Goals and Market Impact - Taiping Asset aims to enhance the investment of long-term capital in the capital market, responding to the long-term investment reform pilot [3][4] - The initiative is expected to improve the asset-liability matching of insurance funds under new accounting standards and increase the efficiency of fund utilization [6]

Investment Rating - The report maintains a "Positive" investment rating for the investment banking and brokerage industry [9] Core Insights - The brokerage sector is experiencing high trading activity, with several firms reporting strong interim results, indicating continued high growth in mid-year performance and an overall increase in valuation [2][6] - In the insurance sector, the expected increase in value rates is driving significant growth in new business value, supported by a rising equity market and favorable investment returns [6] - The report recommends companies with stable profit growth and dividend rates, including Jiangsu Jinzu, China Ping An, and China Pacific Insurance, as well as others like New China Life, China Life, Hong Kong Stock Exchange, CITIC Securities, Dongfang Wealth, Tonghuashun, and Jiufang Zhitu Holdings based on performance elasticity and valuation levels [2][6] Summary by Sections Market Performance - The non-bank financial index increased by 0.6% this week, with a year-to-date increase of 4.6%, although it ranks lower compared to the broader market [7] - The average daily trading volume in the market decreased by 6.26% to 16,964.10 billion yuan, with a daily turnover rate of 1.94% [7] Brokerage Sector - The brokerage sector shows a rebound in trading activity, with the average daily trading volume exceeding the 2024 average, indicating a gradual recovery in profitability [37][41] - Margin financing balances increased by 1.43% to 2.01 trillion yuan, suggesting a positive trend in credit business [43] Investment Business - The equity market is recovering, with the CSI 300 index rising by 1.23% and the ChiNext index by 0.49% [41] - The report highlights the importance of monitoring the performance of equity and bond markets for brokerage self-operated income [41] Insurance Sector - The insurance industry reported a cumulative premium income of 37,350 billion yuan in June 2025, reflecting a year-on-year growth of 5.31% [21][25] - The total assets of the insurance sector reached 39.22 trillion yuan, with a quarter-on-quarter increase of 2.08% [25] Company Announcements - Guosen Securities announced a major asset restructuring plan to acquire 96.08% of Wanhe Securities, which has been approved by the Shenzhen Stock Exchange [8] - China Ping An announced a cash dividend distribution of 0.37 yuan per share, totaling 33.40 billion yuan [8]

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the recent approval of Taiping Asset's establishment of a private equity securities investment fund management company, marking a significant step in the long-term investment pilot program for insurance funds in China [2][4]. Group 1: Approval and Establishment - Taiping Asset, a subsidiary of China Taiping, has received approval from the National Financial Regulatory Administration to establish Taiping (Shenzhen) Private Securities Investment Fund Management Co., Ltd. [2][3] - This approval adds to the growing number of insurance-related private equity securities fund companies, with a total of six now approved [2][7]. Group 2: Long-term Investment Pilot Program - The long-term investment pilot program for insurance funds allows insurance companies to establish private equity securities funds primarily targeting the secondary market for stocks, with a focus on long-term holding [4]. - The pilot program has seen three batches of approvals, with the first batch in October 2023 involving China Life and Xinhua Insurance, each contributing 25 billion yuan to a total fund size of 50 billion yuan [4]. - The second batch included eight insurance companies with a total scale of 112 billion yuan, while the third batch amounted to 60 billion yuan [4]. Group 3: Impact on Capital Markets - The establishment of Taiping's private equity securities fund is expected to enhance the investment capacity of long-term funds in the capital market, with Taiping Asset managing over 1.5 trillion yuan in assets by the end of 2024 [5]. - The initiative aims to align with national strategies and support the real economy, reinforcing the role of insurance funds as stabilizers in the market [5]. Group 4: Current Fund Operations - Currently, six insurance-related private equity securities investment funds are operational, including various funds managed by Guofeng Xinghua, Taikang, and Taibao [8][9]. - The first pilot fund, managed by Guofeng Xinghua, began investing in March 2024, with a total scale of 50 billion yuan fully deployed by March of the same year [8]. - The ongoing pilot program is designed to optimize the asset-liability matching of insurance funds under new accounting standards, thereby improving capital efficiency [9].

Investment Rating - The report maintains a "Recommended" rating for the insurance sector, indicating an expectation of the industry index outperforming the benchmark index by more than 5% in the next 3-6 months [20]. Core Insights - The total cash dividends for the five major listed insurance companies in 2024 reached CNY 90.789 billion, reflecting a year-on-year increase of 20.2% [2]. - The report highlights that the dividend growth for listed insurance companies in 2024 varies, with New China Life Insurance showing the highest growth rate at 197%, driven by a 201% increase in net profit attributable to shareholders [3]. - The report notes a general decline in the dividend payout ratio among listed insurance companies in 2024, attributed to the inclusion of significant unrealized gains in net profit, leading to a cautious adjustment of dividend ratios [3]. - The report emphasizes that the investment performance of the insurance sector in 2024 will largely depend on equity market performance and the expected adjustments in interest rates [4]. Summary by Sections Market Performance - The insurance index increased by 0.46% during the week, underperforming the broader market by 0.77 percentage points [1]. - Individual stock performances varied, with AIA up by 3.15% and ZhongAn down by 3.61% [1]. Dividend Policies - The report discusses the dividend policies of listed insurance companies, noting that Ping An and China Pacific Insurance base their dividends on operating profit, excluding short-term investment fluctuations [3]. - The estimated dividend payout ratios for Ping An and China Pacific Insurance are 41.6% and 33%, respectively, based on their operating profits [3]. Valuation Metrics - The report provides price-to-earnings (PE) and price-to-book (PB) ratios for major insurance companies, with China Ping An rated as "Strong Buy" and China Life Insurance, New China Life, and China Property & Casualty rated as "Recommended" [9]. - The report lists the highest dividend yields among A and H shares, with New China Life leading at over 5% [4]. Future Outlook - The report anticipates that the overall performance of the insurance sector in 2024 will be influenced by equity market trends and the growth of new business value (NBV) [4]. - The report suggests that investment strategies may favor Ping An, China Pacific Insurance, and China Property & Casualty due to their stable dividend policies [4].

Investment Rating - The report maintains an "Overweight" rating for the insurance industry [2] Core Insights - The average duration gap in the insurance industry is approximately -7 years, with a trend of widening expected post-2024, particularly in the life insurance sector [5][21] - Large insurance companies generally maintain a duration gap around -5 years, while small to medium-sized insurers exhibit a widening gap, indicating a disparity in asset-liability management [5][21] - The report emphasizes the importance of managing duration gaps to mitigate interest rate risks and reinvestment risks, especially in a low-interest-rate environment [5][21] Summary by Sections 1. Introduction: Duration Gap in Insurance Asset-Liability Matching - Duration gap refers to the difference between asset duration and liability duration, categorized into various types [9] - The report highlights the increasing duration gap due to the issuance of long-term savings products by life insurers [9][10] 2. Calculation of Duration Gap and Industry Data Statistics - The average duration gap for life insurance companies from 2020 to 2022 was -6.67 years, -6.57 years, and -6.28 years, respectively [21] - The report identifies a trend where over 65% of companies have seen their duration gaps widen, with many experiencing an increase of over 2 years [23][26] 3. Significance and Measures for Duration Gap Management - Effective duration gap management is crucial for balancing asset-liability management in insurance companies [5] - Suggested measures to narrow the duration gap include increasing allocations to long-term bonds, developing long-term equity investments, and adjusting product structures to enhance liability duration [5][21] 4. Investment Recommendations - The report suggests focusing on companies like New China Life, Ping An, AIA, China Life, China Pacific, and PICC, which are well-positioned to benefit from the dual dividend attributes of insurance stocks [5][21]

Investment Rating - The report maintains an "Outperform" rating for the insurance industry [1]. Core Insights - The report highlights that the improvement in liability costs for life insurance companies is expected to alleviate the pressure from interest rate differentials, driven by regulatory guidance and market conditions [15][19]. - The report emphasizes the significant decline in the break-even yield for new business value (NBV) and value of in-force (VIF) across various life insurance companies, indicating a trend of improving profitability [10][14]. Summary by Sections Current Liability Costs of Life Insurance Companies - The break-even yield for NBV has marginally decreased for major life insurance companies in 2024, influenced by lower guaranteed rates and improved channel cost efficiency [10][14]. - The NBV break-even yields for major companies in 2024 are as follows: China Life (2.43%), Ping An Life (2.42%), and China Pacific Life (2.60%) [9]. - The VIF break-even yields show a mixed trend, with China Life at 2.44% and Ping An Life at 2.50% in 2024, reflecting varying performance across companies [12][14]. Future Liability Cost Trends - Regulatory initiatives are pushing for a unified commission structure across distribution channels, which is expected to lower channel costs and improve liability costs [25][29]. - The continuous reduction in the guaranteed rates for life insurance products since August 2023 is anticipated to further decrease the liability costs for new and existing policies [29][30]. - Life insurance companies are actively adjusting their product offerings, focusing on dividend products to enhance profitability and reduce fixed liability costs [36][39]. Investment Recommendations - The report recommends maintaining an "Outperform" rating for the insurance industry, citing improvements in liability costs and potential for enhanced net profit due to favorable investment conditions [45][48]. - Specific companies highlighted for investment include China Pacific Insurance, China Life, and Ping An Insurance, based on their strong fundamentals and ability to adapt to market changes [48].

Central Bank and Foreign Exchange Reserves - As of July 2025, China's foreign exchange reserves stood at $32,922 billion, a decrease of $252 billion from June, marking a decline of 0.76% [1] - The central bank has increased its gold reserves for the ninth consecutive month, reaching 7,396 million ounces (approximately 2,300.41 tons), with a month-on-month increase of 6,000 ounces (approximately 1.86 tons) [1] - The gold reserve balance increased by $10 billion to $243.985 billion, accounting for 7.41% of the foreign exchange reserves, up 0.09 percentage points from the previous month [1] Banking Sector Performance - Five banks, including Ningbo Bank and Hangzhou Bank, reported double-digit growth in both operating income and net profit for the first half of 2025 [1] - Ningbo Bank's total assets reached 3.47 trillion yuan, growing by 11.04% year-on-year, while Hangzhou Bank's total assets were 2.24 trillion yuan, up 5.83% [1] - As of June 2025, the total assets of Qilu Bank and Qingdao Bank were in the range of 700 billion to 800 billion yuan, and Changshu Bank's total assets exceeded 400 billion yuan, reaching 401.251 billion yuan [1] Retail Banking Developments - China Merchants Bank's retail assets under management (AUM) surpassed 16 trillion yuan, making it the first joint-stock commercial bank in China to achieve this milestone [2] - The bank's AUM growth accelerated, with the first 5 trillion yuan taking 9 years, the second 5 trillion yuan taking 5 years, and the latest 5 trillion yuan achieved in just over 3 years [2] - The bank's asset custody scale exceeded 24 trillion yuan, and its asset management scale approached 4.5 trillion yuan [2] Corporate Governance Changes - 18 listed banks have announced the cancellation or advancement of the dissolution of their supervisory boards, following a trend initiated by several state-owned banks [4] - This change is attributed to the implementation of the new Company Law in 2024 and regulatory guidance, indicating a shift in corporate governance practices [4] - The supervisory board's functions will be primarily taken over by the audit committee of the board of directors and employee directors, raising the governance standards for companies [4] Credit Card and Asset Management Innovations - China Bank will include litigation fees related to overdue credit card accounts in the billing statements starting September 14, 2025 [3] - The fees will cover various costs such as litigation, arbitration, and legal fees, with a pilot program starting in Shanghai [3] - Gansu Bank has sold non-performing assets to local asset management companies, with the latest sale valued at 14.922 billion yuan, resulting in a projected financial impact of 1.26 billion yuan [3] Insurance Sector Performance - 147 non-listed insurance companies reported a net profit exceeding 29 billion yuan in the first half of 2025, a significant increase from the previous year [4] - The number of loss-making insurance companies decreased from 30 to 21, with notable profits from companies like Taikang Life and Zhongyi Insurance [4] - Taikang Life's net profit surged by 164% year-on-year, reaching a historical high, while Zhongxin Insurance turned a profit after previous losses [4] Dividend Distribution by Major Insurers - Five major listed insurers announced a total cash dividend distribution of 907.89 billion yuan for 2024, reflecting a year-on-year increase of 20.21% [5] - China Insurance and New China Life announced significant cash dividends, with New China Life's total cash dividends for 2024 increasing by 197.6% compared to 2023 [5] Financial Technology Developments - Lexin's Q2 revenue reached 3.59 billion yuan, a 15.6% increase from the previous quarter, with a profit of 670 million yuan, marking a 116.4% year-on-year increase [9] - The company reported improved asset quality, with a decrease in various risk indicators for four consecutive quarters [9] - Yika's subsidiary in Japan achieved significant milestones, including registration for credit card business and compliance with global security standards [10]

为进一步践行金融工作的政治性、人民性，在国家金融监督总局北京监管局的指导下，新华保险北京分公司首批上线"三有"查询系统，即"机构有牌、产品 有号、人员有证"，贴心守护金融消费者的权益保障，营造和谐有序的金融消费环境。 北京地区已有11家人身险机构上线"三有"查询系统，这11家保险公司的个险业务在北京地区的市场份额占比合计超过90%，销售人员数量占总数的近九成。 一、"三有"查询系统主要特点 1.信息整合 方便消费者快捷查询。实现机构、人员、产品的信息整合，方便消费者快捷查询，实时甄别非法金融活动。 2.资质分类 从源头规范保险市场。该系统在销售人员信息中明确展示可销售的险种和区域，能有效预防销售误导行为。 新华保险官微 3.信息多样 为消费者提供更多选择。该系统既有行业统一标准，也有特色信息满足消费者的个性化需求。 二、古都新韵 用XIN提供一站式服务场景 人身保险产品普遍具有专业性、复杂性和长周期性，消费者与保险公司之间存在信息不对称，易引发销售误导，损害消费者合法权益。针对保险行业存在的 此类情况，北京金融监管局率先在北京地区指导推出人身险"三有"查询系统。 新华保险北京分公司深入落实公司"以客户为中心" ...

Core Viewpoint - Xinhua Insurance plans to invest up to 10 billion yuan in a private equity fund named Guofeng Xinghua Honghu Zhi Yuan Phase II, which has a total scale of 20 billion yuan, focusing on large listed companies in the CSI A500 index [1][3]. Investment Fund Details - The fund will adopt a long-term investment strategy, utilizing low-frequency trading and long-term holding to achieve stable dividend income [2]. - Both Xinhua Insurance and China Life will contribute 10 billion yuan each to the fund, which has a duration of 10 years and can be extended [3]. - The fund will primarily invest in large A+H shares that meet specific criteria, including good corporate governance, stable operations, and relatively stable dividends [3]. - If there are idle funds, the private equity fund may invest in cash management products such as money market funds, bank deposits, and treasury reverse repos [3]. - The fund management fee is set at 0.1% per year, while the custody fee is 0.002% per year [3]. Long-term Investment Strategy - The Honghu Fund is seen as a significant innovation in long-term stock investment by insurance capital, with a focus on high-quality listed companies with good governance and stable operations [4]. - The first phase of the fund, with an investment of 50 billion yuan, has already been fully deployed, achieving performance that is lower in risk and higher in returns than the benchmark [4]. - The fund aims to combine long-term investment with active capital market participation, contributing to the experience of insurance capital in long-term and value investing [4]. Industry Trends - The Honghu Fund is part of a broader initiative to reform long-term investment by insurance capital, adapting to new accounting standards and reducing the impact of short-term stock price fluctuations [5]. - A total of 60 billion yuan has been allocated for long-term investment reform trials by five insurance companies, which is expected to provide medium to long-term incremental funds to the capital market [6]. - The focus of these investments is on companies with stable fundamentals, clear business models, and strong dividend expectations, which may lead to reduced stock price volatility [6].