

Investment Rating - The report maintains a "Positive" outlook on the non-bank financial industry, indicating an expectation for the sector to outperform the overall market [3][6]. Core Insights - The insurance sector has shown a significant increase, with the Shenwan Insurance II Index rising by 3.20%, outperforming the CSI 300 Index by 0.83 percentage points. Notably, Ping An Insurance has increased its stake in China Pacific Insurance (H) and China Life Insurance (H), triggering regulatory notifications [3][6]. - The report highlights a resurgence in insurance companies' acquisitions of peers, with 32 announcements made in 2024, the highest since 2016. As of August 14, 2025, 14 insurance institutions have made 24 acquisition announcements, involving 20 listed companies [3][6]. - The report emphasizes the positive implications of declining long-term interest rates and the entry of long-term capital into the market, suggesting a favorable environment for insurance companies [3][6]. Summary by Sections Market Review - The CSI 300 Index closed at 4,202.35 with a weekly change of +2.4%, while the non-bank index closed at 2,079.34 with a change of +6.5%. The brokerage, insurance, and diversified financial sectors reported changes of +8.2%, +3.2%, and +4.5%, respectively [6][10]. Non-Bank Industry Insights - The report notes that as of August 15, 2025, the 10-year government bond yield was 1.75%, with a weekly increase of 2.62 basis points. The insurance sector's performance is closely tied to these interest rate movements [13][19]. - The report also mentions that the average daily trading volume in A-shares has increased significantly, indicating a robust market environment for brokers [19][39]. Investment Recommendations - For the insurance sector, the report recommends focusing on undervalued stocks, specifically China Life (H), China Pacific Insurance, New China Life, Ping An, China Property & Casualty, and China Re [3][6]. - In the brokerage sector, the report suggests three investment themes: strong comprehensive institutions benefiting from improved competition, brokers with significant earnings elasticity, and firms with strong international business capabilities [3][6].