Moody's Talks - Focus on Finance

Frank Yuen and Laura Bazer explain why the outlook for life insurers worldwide is less bleak than it was a year ago. Plus, Bruce Ballentine and Benjamin Serra discuss the strengths that help insulate global property and casualty (P&C) insurers from higher claims as economies reopen. Related content on Moodys.com (some content only available to registered users or subscribers):  P&C Insurance – Glo...

Banking analysts Michael Rohr and Donald Robertson explain how our outlook has improved for banks worldwide. Plus, Banking team analyst Svetlana Pavlova discusses how demographic trends in emerging markets are driving a divergence in banks’ growth and profitability prospects. Related content on Moodys.com (some content only available to registered users or subscribers):  Banks – Global: 2022 outlo...

Dominic Simpson and Neal Epstein of the Asset Management team discuss prospects for global asset managers in 2022, as the global economic recovery and demand for alternative and ESG investments drive industry growth. Meanwhile, Ceres Lisboa, Ashraf Madani and Eugene Tarzimanov  of the Banking team explore how emerging markets banks will benefit from G20 economies’ recovery, strong global demand fo...

Insurance analysts Dominic Simpson and Manoj Jethani discuss global insurers’ increasing investments in illiquid assets and why that’s mostly positive despite the risks. Plus, Fadi Massih of the Banking team talks about strengths and vulnerabilities in global banks’ management of cybersecurity risks. Related content on Moodys.com (some content only available to registered users or subscribers):  C...

Mark Wasden of the Banking team and Chris Padgett of the Corporate Finance team explain how as US private credit grows, there is greater risk of widespread market disruption should the economy falter. Plus, Insurance team analyst Shachar Gonen explains why long-term care insurers are getting a brief reprieve, and Fadi Massih of the Banking team talks about the new Bitcoin ETF and why it is credit...

Cybercrime has driven up demand for cyber insurance. But losses are on the rise, too, and some cyber events are uninsurable. How are insurers responding to higher losses, and what can be done about the kinds of risks that are too big for private insurers to cover? Plus, sales of alternative fuel vehicles worldwide are accelerating. What does it mean for the credit quality of auto finance captives,...

Ahead of the COP 26 conference in Glasgow, analysts Lev Dorf, Brandan Holmes and Vanessa Robert explain why banks, insurance companies and asset managers are under pressure to reduce exposure to carbon-intensive industries. Indeed Moody's has estimated that G20 financial institutions are exposed to carbon transition risk to the tune of a staggering $22 trillion. However, financial institutions wil...

Peter Nerby, Olivier Panis and Shunsaku Sato explain how global systemically important banks are faring as the pandemic starts to recede. Dean Ungar discusses the implications for US health insurers should the Medicare hospital insurance trust fund run out of money. And David Yin tells us how a recent cryptocurrency ban in China is positive for financial institutions. Inside this episode: Dean Ung...

Stephen Tu, Melina Skouridou and Farooq Khan explain how four forces reshaping finance will likely reduce banks’ revenue from core activities and undermine their role as financial intermediaries. Plus, Alka Anbarasu explains why India’s banks will weather the stress from a COVID-19 resurgence, and Jasper Cooper gives an update on insured hurricane losses in the US. Inside this episode: Alka Anbara...

Analyst Fadi Massih discusses the credit strengths and weaknesses of the crypto asset exchange. Related content:  Coinbase Global, Inc. Strong finances and market position offset by uncertain regulatory environment and fierce competitive conditions - Coinbase displays investment grade characteristics and financials that are offset by a challenging operating environment marked by uncertain regulato...

The insurance group’s Helena Kingsley-Tomkins explains what’s driving the global reinsurance outlook shift to stable from negative. Plus, Young Kim tells us how evolving technology and rising fintech competition are transforming Korea’s insurance business. Inside this episode: Young Kim tells us how evolving technology and rising fintech competition are transforming Korea’s insurance business. (be...

As infections rise and overall vaccination rates remain low in Southeast Asian nations and India, loan performance will weaken as economic recoveries stall, although the effects will vary by country. However, government support and strong loss-absorbing buffers will support banks’ credit strength. Related content: Property & Casualty – United States of America Losses from Dixie wildfire will hit C...

Inside this episode: Tae Jong Ok looks at Kakao Bank’s rapid rise from its social media origins to one of Korea’s biggest retail lenders. Plus, Christian Badorff and Melina Skouridou talk about the insurance impact of recent heavy floods in Germany, and the European Central Bank’s plan to pilot a digital euro. Related content: Banks – Europe: Despite financial inclusion benefits, digital euro pose...

Dean Ungar diagnoses the causes of US health insurers’ evolution over the past decade, and discusses the benefits and risks for the sector’s credit strength. Plus, Guy Combot and Atsi Sheth talk about recent changes in Italian bank governance and the broader credit implications of increased gender diversity. Inside this episode: Guy Combot and Atsi Sheth talk about recent changes in Italian bank g...

Inside this episode: Rajeev Bamra and Steve Tu speak with Carolyn Henson about why stablecoin growth has put traditional financial institutions and bank regulators on the defensive. Meanwhile, David Fanger explains why large US banks will be able to distribute more to shareholders this year, and Marina Cremonese discusses money market funds’ readiness for the transition away from LIBOR. Related co...

Madhavi Bokil, Alexios Philippides and Laura Bazer explain how banks’ profit margins and US life insurers’ portfolio yields will benefit from rising inflation and a steeper yield curve in several advanced economies. Plus, Joe Pucella discusses the outlook for US commercial real estate lenders and Neal Epstein talks about Federal Reserve actions that helped money market funds stave off the risk of...

Manoj Jethani, Laura Bazer and Rory Callagy discuss the reasons for returning the outlooks for global and US life insurance and global asset management to stable from negative. Plus, James Eck updates us on Puerto Rico’s debt settlements. Inside this episode:  James Eck updates us on Puerto Rico’s debt settlements. (begins at 1:53 mins) Manoj Jethani, Laura Bazer and Rory Callagy discuss the reaso...

Alberto Postigo and Alka Anbarasu discuss the threat of climate change to banks’ asset quality. Plus, Megan Fox and Steve Tu talk about the effects on banks and asset managers of the Biden administration’s new executive order on climate-related financial risk, and Sid Ghosh tells us whether businesses around the world can get insurance coverage for disrupted operations during the pandemic. Inside...

Vanessa Robert and Marina Cremonese of the Funds and Asset Management team discuss new money market fund regulations proposed in the US and EU after a material flight to quality shook short-term credit markets last year. Plus, Svetlana Pavolva of the Banking team explains the significant social risks facing banks in Commonwealth of Independent States countries. Inside this episode: Svetlana Pavolv...

Gersan Zurita of the Credit Strategy and Research team and Semyon Isakov of the Banking team discuss rising inflation in some key emerging markets. Plus, Felipe Carvallo and Mik Kabeya of the Banking team talk about slipping government support for banks in economies that are heavily dependent on oil. Inside this episode: Felipe Carvallo and Mik Kabeya of the Banking team talk about slipping govern...

Bob Garofalo and Laura Bazer of the Insurance team explain the drivers behind all the M&A transactions in the life insurance industry, and what they mean for credit when the buyers are private-equity firms. Plus, Donald Robertson of the Banking team and Jasper Cooper of the Insurance team answer questions about Archegos and the recent cyber attack on insurer CNA. Inside this episode: Donald Robert...

Fresh off the Asset Management team’s virtual conference, Rory Callagy highlights how asset managers are finding growth – sometimes through acquisitions – in ESG, alternative investments and software solutions. Plus Antonello Aquino of the Banking team discusses the growing environmental risks African banks confront.   Inside this episode: Rory Callagy highlights how asset managers are finding gro...

In a special episode of our Focus on Finance podcast series, Stephen Long, Louise Lundberg and Eugene Tarzimanov of the Banking team join host Carolyn Henson to discuss the prospects for banks around the globe as government economic support measures start to unwind and banks brace for a substantial rise in loan defaults. Many economies are set to rebound this year but banks must factor in continui...

With cyber risk on the rise, Lesley Ritter of the Cyber Risk team and Megan Fox, Michael Dion and Rokhaya Cisse of the Financial Institutions team discuss our survey and findings on banks’, insurers’ and asset managers’ preparedness for a cyberattack.  Related content: Cyber Risk – Global: 2021 Outlook – Cyber vulnerabilities in software supply chains, rising cost of ransomware will be key risks C...

Brandan Holmes of the Insurance team and James Leaton of the ESG team discuss why global regulators are zeroing in on financial sector climate risks. Plus, the Asset Management team’s Steve Tu talks about how and why US ESG investments are surging in popularity, and Francisco Uriostegui discusses the benefits and challenges for Mexican pension funds of incorporating ESG screening into investment d...