As mainland Chinese companies pursue overseas growth, Hong Kong is moving to establish itself as a key hub for captive insurance operations.
Insurers
Leading Asian insurers are restructuring their investment approaches in response to trade conflicts and policy uncertainty, creating new risk management strategies designed to navigate an increasingly fragmented global economy.
Asian institutional investors are pursuing direct deals and infrastructure debt in digital assets, seeking enhanced returns to navigate market volatility and rising rates.
.jpg&c=1&h=194&q=100&v=20253113&w=344)
Asian life insurers are significantly increasing allocations to private credit despite economic headwinds, citing attractive risk-adjusted returns, diversification benefits and strategic advantages in a complex market environment.
In partnership with Aberdeen Investments
A survey in Q1 2025 of more than 70 investors from 50 leading insurers across the region by AsianInvestor, in collaboration with Aberdeen Investments, reveals different routes to tackling new regimes and planning portfolios in a new investment era.
The insurer, backed by Li Ka-shing's son Richard, said it booked its first-ever net profit in the first quarter, with plans to strengthen its capital position and expand market reach after the planned share sale.
Hong Kong is positioning itself as a market leader for insurance-linked securities (ILS), leveraging its financial infrastructure, regulatory support and connectivity to Mainland China.
The policy move could drive insurers' equity investments higher, but it also adds risks, requiring careful portfolio management amid market volatility.
.jpg&c=1&h=194&q=100&v=20253113&w=344)
The Singapore-based life insurer's precise approach to private market allocations emphasises manager selection and liability matching over opportunistic returns.
While industry experts view this surge as a temporary response to US-China trade tensions, concerns over hedging costs and investment returns remain in focus.
The insurance giant's ESG leadership is backed by substantial responsible investments reaching RMB849.9 billion ($118 billion), with a dedicated focus on green, inclusive and social themes.
Corporate Japan’s lacklustre financial performance threatens to knock the global sustainability drive off course if companies ditch their environmental, social and governance (ESG) commitments, a new report warns.
