Core Insights - Willis, a WTW business, has launched Gemini, a digital facility aimed at providing sustainable capacity to clients' insurance portfolios, addressing risk complexity and market volatility [1][2] - Gemini offers a 2.5% discount on lead pricing and is supported by Lloyd's syndicates, enhancing client confidence in challenging conditions [2][5] - The service will be available exclusively to Willis clients for risks starting from September 1, 2025 [3] Features of Gemini - Gemini provides substantial capacity for any in-scope risk, regardless of complexity, ensuring competitive pricing and guaranteed discounts for clients [5] - The platform allows for auto-approval of up to 12.5% of whole placements following lead quotes, facilitating quick deployment of capacity [2][5] - Claims management is simplified by following lead claims settlements, reducing complexity for clients [5]

Report Industry Investment Rating - Not provided Core Viewpoints - CFAMCI's 1H25 net profit is expected to increase up to 16.3% yoy to RMB6.2bn, with growth mainly due to core business revenue increase, financing cost reduction, and despite asset impairment charges. The higher net profit is expected to boost capital adequacy and lower the leverage ratio. CFAMCIs remain top picks in the Chinese AMC space [7][8][9] - Hongqiao announced a buy - back of 10.2mn shares, which is positive for its CBs and largely neutral for straight bonds. The company maintains a neutral stance on HONGQIs based on valuation [12] Summary by Directory Trading Desk Comments - Asia IG space was unchanged to 3bps tighter yesterday. In Chinese IG, WB 30s tightened by 2bps, TENCNT 38 - 51s/HAOHUA 30/49 were 1bp tighter. Korea IG HYNMTR/LGENSO belly was 1 - 3bps tighter. In financials, HK CHIYBK 32 was 0.4pt higher, JP MUFG 44s were 0.6pt lower. TH banks were unchanged to 2bps tighter. There were small selling on BBLTB 34/40s T2 and better buying on BBLTB senior. STANLN 36s were 2bps wider. In lifers, SHIKON 35 was 1 - 2bp tighter, TYANLI 35 was 0.1pt lower. In HK, CTFSHK 29 was 1.6pt higher, NWDEVL 5.25 Perp/6.25 Perp were 0.3 - 0.4pt higher, HYSAN 4.85 Perp up 0.7pt. In Chinese HY, BTSDF 28 down 0.4pt, WESCHI 26 was 0.1pt lower. In Chinese properties, CHJMAO 29 and CHJMAO Perp were 0.1 - 0.6pt higher, LNGFOR 28/32 were 0.1 - 0.2pt lower, ROADKG 29 - 30 and ROADKG Perps down 0.2pt. In SEA, VLLPM 27 - 29s were 0.2 - 0.9pt higher, VEDLN 29 - 33s were 0.1 - 0.2pt higher, GLPSP Perps down 0.3 - 0.6pt [2] - This morning, the belly of HYNMTR were 2 - 3bps tighter. There were selling in STANLNs, JP lifers/HYSAN/CPREIT. HYSAN 4.85 Perp down 0.7pt, CDBFLC 30 was 1 - 2bps wider, NWDEVL 30 was 0.3pt higher. CFAMCI: 1H25 net profit to increase up to 16.3% yoy to RMB6.2bn, CFAMCI 5.5 47 down 0.5pt this morning while the rest were unchanged. HONGQI: Buy - back of 10.2mn shares, HONGQI 7.05 28 down 0.1pt this morning [3] Top Performers and Underperformers - Top Performers: CTFSHK 4 1/4 06/27/29 up 1.6, TENCNT 3.68 04/22/41 up 1.0, VLLPM 9 3/8 07/29/29 up 0.9, HYSAN 4.85 PERP up 0.7, CHJMAO 4 1/4 07/23/29 up 0.6 [4] - Top Underperformers: GARUDA 6 1/2 12/28/31 down 1.4, TSIVMG 1.55 12/17/29 down 1.0, TAISEM 3 1/8 10/25/41 down 0.6, GLPSP 4.6 PERP down 0.6, MUFG 4.7 03/10/44 down 0.6 [4] Macro News Recap - Macro: S&P (-0.01%), Dow (-0.08%), and Nasdaq (+0.03%) were mixed on Monday. UST yield was higher, with 2/5/10/30 yield at 3.77%/3.86%/4.34%/4.94% [6] Desk Analyst Comments - CFAMCI's 1H25 net profit growth is due to core business revenue increase, financing cost reduction, and despite asset impairment charges. The company's focus on high - quality investments and diverse funding channels support profit growth, and the higher net profit is expected to boost capital adequacy and lower the leverage ratio [7][8] - The company maintains a buy on CCAMCL 4.4 Perp and a neutral stance on GRWALL 7.15 Perp. It prefers CFAMCI 3.875 11/13/29, CFAMCI 3.375 02/24/30, and CFAMCI 3.625 09/30/30 within the CFAMCI curve [9] Hongqiao Analysis - Hongqiao announced a buy - back of 10.2mn shares for cHKD234mn, with a latest mandate of no less than HKD3bn. The buy - back aims to minimize dilution as its o/s USD300mn CB due Jan'26 will be converted into shares. It is positive for CBs and largely neutral for straight bonds. The company maintains a neutral stance on HONGQIs [12] Offshore Asia New Issues - Priced: DBS Bank issued USD2000mn with a 3 - year tenor at 3.989%, Zhangzhou Yuanshan Development issued USD22mn with a 3 - year tenor at 7.0% [13] - Pipeline: Ganzhou Urban Investment Holding plans a 3 - year issue at 5.4%, Tongling State - owned Capital Operation Holding Group plans a 3 - year issue at 5.1% [14] News and Market Color - Onshore primary issuances: 97 credit bonds were issued yesterday with an amount of RMB69bn. Month - to - date, 1,208 credit bonds were issued with a total amount of RMB1,081bn, a 0.2% yoy decrease - Other news: COGARD extended RSA fee deadlines, FUTLAN/FTLNHD obtained bourse approval for onshore ABS offering, HYSAN completed the redemption of USD850mn HYSAN 4.1 Perp, HYUELE repaid KRW3.4tn loans, LGELEC started a voluntary retirement program [15] - Other corporate news: NIO to expand into Singapore, Uzbekistan, and Costa Rica; PTTGC eyes THB30bn from non - core assets monetization; Rakuten to start satellite - based services; Road King's loss to widen; SoftBank to acquire a stake in Intel; Tongyang Life to redeem USD300mn TYANLI 5.25 Perp; Vedanta Ltd to consider second interim dividend; Hindustan Zinc to set up a tailings reprocessing plant [21]

截至8月19日午盘，A股三大指数集体收涨，沪指涨0.30%，深成指涨0.30%，创业板指涨0.39%，北证50 指数涨3.16%，沪深京三市半日成交额16781亿元，较上日缩量686亿元。全市场超3200只个股上涨。 板 块题材上，白酒、创新药、华为海思概念走高，保险、军工装备板块调整。 盘面上，白酒板块持续走 强，酒鬼酒涨停，舍得酒业涨超7%。创新药板块走强，申联生物、博济医药20CM涨停封板，塞利医 疗、济民健康等数只个股涨停封板。华为海思概念股震荡走强，诚迈科技20CM涨停，四川长虹涨停封 板。保险板块调整，中国人寿跌超1%。军工装备板块调整，烽火电子、光启技术跌超5%。 （来源同花顺，以上信息为南都·湾财社AI大数据自动生成） ...

Group 1: Banking Industry Overview - The total assets of China's banking and insurance industries continue to grow, with a total asset amount of 467.3 trillion yuan as of the end of Q2 2025, representing a year-on-year increase of 7.9% [1] - Large commercial banks hold total assets of 204.2 trillion yuan, up 10.4% year-on-year, accounting for 43.7% of the total [1] - Joint-stock commercial banks have total assets of 75.7 trillion yuan, with a year-on-year growth of 5%, making up 16.2% of the total [1] Group 2: Financial Services and Loans - The balance of inclusive loans to small and micro enterprises reached 36 trillion yuan, reflecting a year-on-year increase of 12.3% [1] - The balance of inclusive agricultural loans increased to 13.9 trillion yuan, with an increase of 1.1 trillion yuan since the beginning of the year [1] - Insurance companies reported original premium income of 3.7 trillion yuan in the first half of the year, a year-on-year growth of 5.1% [1] Group 3: Liquidity Indicators - The liquidity coverage ratio of commercial banks stood at 149.25% at the end of Q2 2025, an increase of 3.05 percentage points from the previous quarter [2] - The net stable funding ratio was 127.59%, up 0.02 percentage points from the previous quarter [2] - The liquidity ratio increased to 79.9%, rising by 3.75 percentage points compared to the previous quarter [2]

Core Viewpoint - The A-share market has shown strong performance, with the Shanghai Composite Index reaching a ten-year high, supported by both capital inflow and fundamental performance [2][3][4]. Market Performance - On August 18, the Shanghai Composite Index rose by 0.85%, closing at 3728 points, marking the highest level since August 20, 2015. The total market capitalization of A-shares surpassed 100 trillion yuan [2]. - Since the end of June, the A-share market has been on an upward trend, with daily trading volumes exceeding 2.8 trillion yuan. Small-cap and growth styles have outperformed, with notable increases in indices such as the ChiNext Index and the CSI 2000 [2][3]. Capital and Fundamental Support - The recent market performance is driven by capital inflow and earnings support, with a significant increase in trading volume and margin financing balances. The macroeconomic environment remains stable, with expectations of interest rate cuts from the Federal Reserve and ongoing supportive policies in China [3]. - The current earnings season is crucial, with a focus on industries showing strong fundamentals [3]. Valuation Analysis - The overall valuation of A-shares is considered reasonable, with the CSI 300's dynamic price-to-earnings ratio around 12.2 times, indicating it is not overvalued compared to historical levels. The market capitalization to GDP ratio remains relatively low among major global markets [4]. - The market's total capitalization to M2 ratio is approximately 33%, which is at the 60% historical percentile, suggesting a balanced valuation [4]. Investment Recommendations - Focus on sectors with high growth potential and earnings validation, such as AI/computing, innovative pharmaceuticals, military industry, and non-ferrous metals [5]. - Consider industries benefiting from increased retail participation, such as brokerage and insurance, as well as sectors aligned with government policies like photovoltaic energy [5].

Core Insights - UnitedHealth Group has gained significant market attention recently, particularly after a positive trading session where its shares increased nearly 2% following an analyst's price target raise [1] - Berkshire Hathaway's investment of $1.6 billion in UnitedHealth has contributed to the stock's positive sentiment [2] - Bank of America Securities analyst Kevin Fischbeck raised his fair value assessment for UnitedHealth from $290 to $325, although he maintains a neutral recommendation on the stock [4] Investment Analysis - Fischbeck's price target increase is not solely attributed to Berkshire's investment; rather, it confirms the analyst's view that UnitedHealth is undervalued [5] - The analyst believes that recent profitability slumps for UnitedHealth and similar managed care organizations are temporary [5] - Fischbeck suggests that investors willing to hold UnitedHealth for five years may see significant share price gains, but he does not foresee strong short-term prospects, which is why he maintains a neutral stance [6]

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa, Aug. 18, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- United Fire Group, Inc. (UFG) (Nasdaq: UFCS) is pleased to announce the appointment of a new independent member to its board of directors, effective August 15, 2025. Gilda L. Spencer has been appointed as a Class A director and will serve on the board’s risk management and compensation and human capital committees. The board believes Spencer’s extensive legal expertise and deep understanding of the insurance industry will provide valuable guidance on reg ...

Core Insights - Markel Insurance has completed the sale of renewal rights for its Global Reinsurance business to Nationwide as part of a strategy to simplify operations and focus on core specialty insurance markets [1][3] - Nationwide will manage the renewal policies through Ryan Re Underwriting Managers, expanding their existing strategic alliance [2] - Markel's Global Reinsurance division will enter runoff, with premiums expected to continue earning out over the next two to three years [2] Company Strategy - The transaction aligns with Markel's goal to sharpen focus on its core specialty insurance business [3] - Markel did not sell any insurance company entities in this transaction, indicating a strategic decision to retain core operations while offloading certain rights [2][3] Partnership Dynamics - The partnership with Nationwide and Ryan Re is highlighted as a positive collaboration, with Markel expressing gratitude for their support during the transaction [3] - The delegation of underwriting and management to Ryan Re signifies a strategic move to leverage existing relationships for better operational efficiency [2]

Market Overview - Investor risk sentiment paused as markets awaited details from President Trump's meeting with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy and European leaders [1] - Major U.S. indices, including the S&P 500, Nasdaq 100, and Dow Jones, remained little changed, holding near record highs [2] Performance of Major Indices - Russell 2000 increased by 0.4% to 2,295.13 - Dow Jones remained unchanged at 44,967.07 - S&P 500 held steady at 6,450.31 - Nasdaq 100 also unchanged at 23,709.13 [4] Sector and Stock Movements - Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO) flattened at $591.03 - SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average (DIA) held steady at $449.33 - Invesco QQQ Trust Series (QQQ) eased 0.1% to $576.08 - iShares Russell 2000 ETF (IWM) edged up 0.3% to $227.78 [7] Notable Stock Performances - First Solar Inc. (FSLR) rose 10.15%, Sunrun Inc. (RUN) advanced 10.63%, and Enphase Energy Inc. (ENPH) added 5.24% following new guidance on clean energy tax credits [7] - UnitedHealth Group Inc. (UNH) increased by 3.15% after Berkshire Hathaway disclosed a $1.6 billion stake [7] - Duolingo Inc. (DUOL) gained 11% after an upgrade to Overweight by KeyBanc and a Buy rating from Citi Research [7] - Novo Nordisk A/S (NVO) rose 5.03% after FDA approval of its weight-loss drug Wegovy for liver disease [7] - GoodRx Holdings Inc. (GDRX) jumped 40% on news of a partnership with Novo Nordisk to sell Wegovy and Ozempic for $499 a month [7] Commodity and Cryptocurrency Movements - Gold slipped 0.1% to $3,333 per ounce - Oil prices fell 0.8% to $62 a barrel - Bitcoin (BTC/USD) dropped 1.2% to $116,000, with Ethereum (ETH/USD) down 3.3% to $4,327 and Solana (SOL/USD) off 4.3% [3]

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses a class action lawsuit against SelectQuote, Inc. due to allegations of receiving illegal kickbacks from health insurance companies and misleading investors about its business practices [1][2][3]. Group 1: Allegations and Legal Actions - The U.S. Department of Justice filed a False Claims Act complaint against SelectQuote, alleging that from 2016 to at least 2021, the company received "tens of millions of dollars" in illegal kickbacks for steering Medicare beneficiaries to specific insurers [2]. - SelectQuote is accused of making materially false claims regarding its services, claiming to offer unbiased coverage comparisons while directing beneficiaries to plans that paid the most [2][3]. - The class action lawsuit alleges that SelectQuote failed to disclose critical information about its operations, including the receipt of illegal kickbacks and non-compliance with applicable laws [3]. Group 2: Financial Impact - Following the DOJ's announcement, SelectQuote's stock price dropped by $0.61, or 19.2%, closing at $2.56 per share on May 1, 2025, with unusually high trading volume [2]. Group 3: Class Action Participation - Investors who purchased SelectQuote securities during the specified Class Period (September 9, 2020, to May 1, 2025) have until October 10, 2025, to file a lead plaintiff motion in the class action lawsuit [1][4].