Weak market development in shares and participations

The fourth quarter was characterised by a weak market development for most classes of investment assets held by insurance companies. The asset class with the greatest impact was holdings of shares and participations. This is partly a result of the market development being weakest in this asset class, partly a result of the asset class being the largest in terms of total market value of investments in the asset class.

Notable transactions in the fourth quarter

Insurance companies had net sales totalling SEK 56 billion in capital investments in the quarter. The highest net sales were in shares and participations (48 billion). Net investments were chiefly in money market instruments (16 billion). In context of the latter, it should be mentioned that net investments in money market instruments in the period correspond to approximately half of the market value of initial holdings of these instruments in the quarter.
Non-life insurance companies, which due to the nature of their operations hold a minor part of the total amount of investment assets, differed from life insurance companies with regard to investments in the quarter. They had net sales in more or less all asset classes. A notable exception was loans, in which a net investment of a billion was made during the quarter.

2019-05-29 at 09:30.