Investment Rating - The industry investment rating is "Overweight" for the non-bank financial sector, indicating a positive outlook compared to the broader market [1][36]. Core Insights - The non-bank financial index increased by 3.5% last week, outperforming the CSI 300 by 1.8 percentage points, with significant gains in both brokerage and insurance indices [4][8]. - The average daily trading volume for stock funds reached 22,338 billion yuan, a week-on-week increase of 19.4% [17]. - The scheduled interest rate for life insurance products has been adjusted down to 1.99%, which is expected to influence the sales rhythm of dividend insurance [4][34]. Summary by Sections Market Review - The non-bank financial index rose by 3.5%, with the brokerage index up by 4.8% and the insurance index up by 1.8% [4][8]. - The average daily trading volume for stock funds was 22,338 billion yuan, reflecting a 19.4% increase from the previous week [17]. Brokerage Insights - The announcement of H-share listing by First Capital Securities aims to enhance capital strength and international competitiveness [4]. - The brokerage sector is experiencing a trend towards internationalization, with increased capital injections and a broader range of services beyond traditional offerings [4]. Insurance Insights - The scheduled interest rate for life insurance products has been reduced to 1.99%, with major insurers adjusting their product rates accordingly [4]. - The adjustments are expected to enhance the competitiveness of dividend insurance products, aligning with regulatory support for their sales [4]. Investment Recommendations - For brokerages, it is advised to focus on opportunities in mergers and acquisitions, wealth management transformation, and innovative licensing [4]. - For insurance companies, attention should be given to large comprehensive insurers with competitive advantages under the new regulatory framework [4].

Core Viewpoint - The insurance industry is experiencing a reduction in the preset interest rates for life insurance products due to the ongoing decline in market interest rates, which is expected to promote a more sustainable development model for the industry [1] Summary by Category Interest Rate Adjustments - The preset interest rate for traditional life insurance products has been lowered by 50 basis points (BP) from 2.5% to 2.0% [1] - The guaranteed interest rate ceiling for participating insurance products has been adjusted from 2% to 1.75% [1] - The guaranteed interest rate for universal insurance has been reduced from 1.5% to 1.0% [1] Industry Response - Major insurance companies such as China Life, Ping An Life, Taikang Life, and ICBC-AXA Life have announced these adjustments in their preset interest rates [1] - Insurance companies are required to complete the transition between old and new products by August 31 [1] Market Context - The current research value for the preset interest rate of ordinary life insurance products is reported at 1.99% [1] - Industry experts indicate that timely adjustments to preset interest rates in a low-interest-rate environment will help the industry establish a more sustainable development model [1]

Investment Rating - The report maintains a recommendation rating for the insurance industry [2][51][58] Core Insights - The insurance sector is expected to benefit significantly from the ongoing market risk appetite and the new public fund regulations, which will enhance performance benchmarks [1][6][51] - The first quarter of 2025 saw a comprehensive positive growth in new business value (NBV) for life insurance, with significant improvements in the liability structure [51][54] - The property and casualty (P&C) insurance sector experienced steady premium growth and a notable improvement in the combined operating ratio (COR) [51][54] - Investment performance varied among companies due to differing strategies, with a general increase in asset scale and a reduction in real estate exposure [51][54] Summary by Sections 1. Life Insurance Overview - The new business value (NBV) for listed insurance companies continued to grow, with notable increases: New China Life +67.9%, China Pacific Insurance +39.0%, China Ping An +34.9%, and China Life +4.8% [10][11] - The individual insurance channel transformation is deepening, with stable agent numbers and increasing productivity [13][16] - The efficiency of the bancassurance channel has significantly improved, supporting overall performance [16][17] 2. Property and Casualty Insurance Overview - The premium income growth for the "old three" P&C insurers was as follows: China Pacific Insurance +3.7%, Ping An Insurance +7.7%, and Taiping Insurance +1.0% [21][24] - The combined operating ratio (COR) for the "old three" insurers improved, with China Pacific at 94.5%, Ping An at 96.6%, and Taiping at 97.4% [27][30] 3. Investment Performance - The total investment assets of listed insurers showed steady growth, with China Life at 68,191.73 billion, Ping An at 59,200 billion, and China Pacific at 28,102.08 billion [31][36] - The annualized net investment yield for the first quarter was: Ping An 3.6%, China Pacific 3.2%, and China Life 2.6% [36][38] - The annualized total investment yield varied significantly, with New China Life at 5.7%, China Pacific at 4.0%, and China Life at 2.8% [38][42] 4. Profit and Net Asset Differentiation - The net profit growth rates for the first quarter were: China Re +43.4%, China Life +39.5%, New China Life +19.0%, China Pacific -18.1%, and Ping An -26.4% [45][50] - The net asset growth rates at the end of the first quarter were: China Life +4.5%, China Re +3.9%, Ping An +1.2%, China Pacific -9.5%, and New China Life -17.0% [50][53] 5. Investment Recommendations - The report suggests maintaining a positive outlook for the insurance sector, with life insurance product transformation expected to yield positive results and P&C insurance leaders likely to maintain their advantages [51][54][55] - The report highlights the potential for valuation recovery in the insurance sector due to supportive financial policies and improved market conditions [55][58]