Life Insurance Investors Beware of Credit Spreads: Credit Suisse
(Bloomberg) -- The outperformance of U.S. life insurance stocks post-Brexit makes sense given S&P 500 recovery and the rising 10-Year Treasury yield, but investors aren’t considering the impact of tightening credit spreads, Credit Suisse’s John Nadel writes in note.
- Investors should be cautious as stock outperformance is “at odds with actual new money yields"; 10-year yield is up ~30 bps since Brexit low, but yield on Credit Suisse 7-10 Year Liquid U.S. Corporate Index is down 1bp as credit spreads have tightened, risk appetite has recovered
- Risk-free rates aren’t nearly as important as yields on L-T investment grade corporate and other fixed-income securities because credit-related fixed income assets make up much larger portion of total invested assets
- NOTE: SPX has gained 6.8% since June 27 post-Brexit low, while BI North America Life Insurance Index (BILIFENP) is up gained 23%
- NOTE: Oct. 7, Life Insurers Initiated With ‘Cautious’ View at Credit Suisse
- NOTE: Oct. 5, AIG Led U.S. Life and Multi-Line Insurers Bond Performance in 3Q: Bloomberg Intelligence
Alert:
HALISTER1Source: BFW (Bloomberg First Word)
Tickers LNC US (Lincoln National Corp)
MET US (MetLife Inc)
PFG US (Principal Financial Group Inc)
PRU US (Prudential Financial Inc)
VOYA US (Voya Financial Inc)
People John Nadel (Credit Suisse Holdings USA Inc)
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