Author: Money Mechanics

The legacy and run-off market is evolving to trade much more like the live market, according to speakers at the Insurance & Reinsurance Legacy Association (IRLA) annual Congress event held in Brighton today, while the opportunity to trade with and support ILS investor exit and liquidity needs is expected to continue, especially in casualty risks.At the IRLA congress media briefing today,  industry speakers highlighted the health of the legacy and retrospective reinsurance market, which continues to shift towards capital-light models. In addition, the ramping up of activity in the alternative capital provider and ILS space, to facilitate exit certainty for…

SINGAPORE – When U.S. President Donald Trump and China’s Xi Jinping meet in Beijing on Thursday, they and their teams will seal outcomes on potentially a huge range of issues. The agenda spans trade, technology, rare earth export controls, Taiwan, the Iran war, and artificial intelligence. China’s decision to suspend exports of a wide range of rare earths and related magnets, and its ban on semiconductors from Nexperia China, upended supply chains central to global automakers, with political and economic consequences across Europe, Japan, and South Korea.”Virtually everyone has a stake in the outcome of this meeting,” said Chad Bown,…

(By Oil & Gas 360) – Colorado’s latest energy battle is quickly becoming about more than natural gas. What began as a proposed ballot measure to create a constitutional “right to natural gas” is now evolving into a broader debate over energy policy, consumer choice, electrification, affordability, and the pace of transition. At the center of the dispute is Initiative #177, a proposed constitutional amendment that would establish the right for Colorado consumers to purchase natural gas for heating and cooking, while also giving distributors and utilities the right to continue selling it. Supporters argue the measure is designed to…

Trump says the cease-fire is on life support. So what?On Life SupportPresident Trump told reporters today the U.S.-Iran ceasefire is “on massive life support,” directly criticizing Iran’s latest peace proposal as a “piece of garbage” and “stupid.” “After reading that piece of garbage they sent us, I would say the ceasefire is on massive life support”  He also said he didn’t read it.Iran’s ResponseHere’s Iran’s response. “Our armed forces are ready to deliver a well-deserved response to any aggression; mistaken strategy and mistaken decisions will always lead to mistaken results— the whole world has already figured this out. We are…

This Week In A Nutshell: Rates are likely to stay choppy this week as markets weigh new inflation data on Tuesday against any developments in the peace talks with Iran. Upcoming Attractions   The main event this week is Tuesday’s April CPI (consumer price index) report. Headline inflation is expected to be firm because of higher energy prices, and core inflation may also pick up slightly. Shelter inflation could look stronger because some rent data missed during last fall’s government shutdown will be captured in April. That does not necessarily mean underlying inflation is reaccelerating, but it makes it harder…

Lance Whitney/ZDNETFollow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.ZDNET’s key takeawaysLow Latency Profile aims to help Windows apps launch faster.The feature works by spiking the CPU speed.Early testing shows improvement.Ever find that opening an app, triggering a menu, or running other tasks in Windows doesn’t feel as fast or as snappy as it should? You’re not alone. Microsoft is currently testing a new technology in Windows 11 designed to provide some oomph to many of the actions you perform in the OS.Also: I tried this free Windows cleanup tool to see if it’d speed up my PC – and it…

Hinge Health (NYSE:HNGE) reported first-quarter 2026 results that topped its prior outlook and raised its full-year guidance, citing stronger-than-expected member engagement, growth in eligible lives and continued operating leverage from artificial intelligence and automation. Co-Founder and CEO Daniel Perez said the company generated $182 million in first-quarter revenue, up 47% from $124 million in the year-earlier period and above its guidance range of $171 million to $173 million. Last-12-months calculated billings rose 52% year over year to $770 million. “We had a strong start to the year,” Perez said, adding that Hinge Health’s business is “scaling efficiently” as AI and…

WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 30: U.S. President Donald Trump answers questions during an executive order signing in the Oval Office of the White House on April 30, 2026 in Washington, DC. President Trump signed multiple executive orders including one to expand retirement account access for workers. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)Getty ImagesSenator Ted Cruz and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent have both described Trump’s proposed “Trump Accounts” as a back door to Social Security privatization. The structure of the accounts shows something different: They add to Social Security rather than carve money out of it. That distinction matters enormously. It determines…

(Image credit: Samuel Boivin/NurPhoto via Getty Images)The market for initial public offerings (IPOs) got off to a slow start in 2026 amid private credit concerns, a broader risk-off backdrop and volatility sparked by the war in Iran.Only 35 companies went public in the first three months of the year — the fewest in a quarter since Q1 2024. But while the actual number of IPOs was light, the amount raised was boosted by several sizable offerings, says Renaissance Capital. They include electrical equipment maker Forgent Power Solutions (FPS), which brought in more than $1 billion in its offering.The second quarter…

(Image credit: Getty Images)Unless you have been avoiding the news lately, you have likely heard about the hantavirus outbreak now affecting several countries, including the U.S. The virus originated on the Dutch MV Hondius cruise line, which departed from Argentina on April 1.While the spread of the virus is sparking panic and fear that it could be the start of a COVID-like pandemic or even worse, the good news is that the World Health Organization, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and infectious disease doctors don’t think that’s likely at this point.The CDC has classified the outbreak as…