Monthly Archives: February 2014

Chances are, you’ve read articles saying that it is impossible to beat the market–that is, to consistently earn higher returns than the stock market averages. At a recent conference for industry professionals in Dallas, the distinguished economist, Dr. Horace Brock, … Continue reading →

Insurance companies are supposed to be in the boring business of pricing the risks that, for example, a certain percentage of people will get into an auto accident, and calculating the average cost of fixing the car and paying the … Continue reading →

On the last Monday in January, the U.S. markets dropped roughly 1% of their value, and Europe and Asia were down by similar amounts the following day. The market (the S&P 500) then fell 2.1% on Friday in a sickening … Continue reading →

When you think of U.S. government bonds, the word “creativity” isn’t always the first word that springs to mind. Yes, the government created inflation-indexed securities back in 1997 for investors who wanted to get a guaranteed return above the constantly-tinkered-with … Continue reading →

This time of year, we often find ourselves reading about the “January Effect,” which is sometimes described as a predictable way to forecast returns, and sometimes as a way to know whether this is, or is not, a good year … Continue reading →

The U.S. stock market punctuated an extraordinary year with gains on the last trading day, moving many of the American indexes to record highs on the final trading day for only the sixth time in history. Despite all the uncertainties … Continue reading →

Insurance companies were met with a new mandate on their OCI filings this year: the requirement to list the “effective annual interest rate” on fixed income investments that were purchased at a price other than their face value. In a … Continue reading →

According to Wisconsin law, mutual insurance companies must hold all their investment securities themselves or in the custody of a bank or bank trust department. This rule is designed for the protection of the company and its policyholders. Assets held … Continue reading →

From the desk of Charlie McCullough I have never been described as a planner.  Most people would consider me a procrastinator.  This year, however, I got an early start on one of my least favorite jobs – getting the paperwork … Continue reading →