Core Viewpoint - The insurance industry is adjusting its asset allocation strategies in response to a low interest rate environment, focusing on extending bond durations, credit downgrading, increasing equity allocations, and enhancing alternative assets [1][3][4]. Group 1: Asset Allocation Strategies - The overseas insurance industry has made four major adjustments to asset allocation: extending bond durations, credit downgrading, increasing equity allocations, and enhancing alternative assets [3][4]. - Domestic insurance companies are learning from overseas experiences to develop a diversified asset allocation strategy suitable for the domestic market, including increasing high-dividend assets through FVOCI accounts [1][3]. Group 2: Recent Investment Activities - Since August, insurance capital has frequently acquired shares in financial sector listed companies, with notable transactions including China Ping An's purchases of China Pacific Insurance H-shares [2][6]. - Insurance companies have made over 20 acquisitions of listed companies this year, marking the highest number in five years, primarily targeting high-dividend H-shares in the banking and insurance sectors [6]. Group 3: Financial Performance and Challenges - Insurance companies are striving to maintain high investment returns, with China Ping An achieving a comprehensive investment return rate of 5.8% in 2024, up 2.2 percentage points year-on-year [7]. - The average return rate of non-standard assets held by leading insurance companies has decreased from 6% in 2017 to 4.5% currently, indicating pressure to seek higher returns [8]. Group 4: Market Dynamics and Strategic Considerations - The high dividend yield of H-shares in the banking and insurance sectors, around 4%, is attracting insurance capital, especially in a low interest rate and asset scarcity environment [4][9]. - The narrowing AH share premium has prompted insurance capital to accelerate acquisitions to lock in lower holding costs before further declines [12][13]. Group 5: Risk Management and Asset Liability Matching - Insurance companies are using high-dividend stocks to mitigate risks associated with interest rate differentials and funding mismatches, as the average investment return rate has shifted down to 3%-4% [15][16]. - The phenomenon of "long money short matching" is prevalent, with many leading insurance companies facing a duration gap of 4-7 years, prompting a shift towards high-dividend H-shares as long-term assets [16][18].