Default guided retirement solutions for defined contribution pension holders could expose millions of retirees to financial losses, according to new research from the Behavioural Insights Team (BIT). The study, commissioned by the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries, evaluated four retirement income models against behavioral evidence on pension decision-making: drawdown, immediate annuities, flex and fix, and retirement collective defined contribution (CDC). Under the Pension Schemes Act 2026, DC trustees must

In September 2026, reporting on Marsh’s survey of 1,800 US employers indicated that average health-benefit cost per employee is expected to rise by 8.2% in 2027, the largest annual increase since 2003. The forecast already assumes that employers will make plan changes to reduce spending. Without those measures, the increase could reach about 11%. Fifty-nine percent of surveyed employers plan new cost-saving actions for 2027, including changes to deductibles

In September 2026, Reuters reported that an International Monetary Fund (IMF) paper presented to European finance ministers estimated that artificial intelligence could raise European productivity by about 1% over five years. The estimate is meaningful but modest enough to challenge unrealistic expectations. In a speech accompanying the analysis, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva argued that productivity gains depend on organisations redesigning products, processes and workflows rather than simply adding

In September 2026, Insurance Business reported findings from The Phia Group’s 2026 broker survey showing that the rapid move toward self-funded health plans is outpacing many US employers’ fiduciary processes. The survey covered 124 benefits brokers and advisers. Seventy-six percent said their book of business had shifted toward self-funding during the previous 12 months, but only 12% were very confident that clients had adequate fiduciary processes. The gap matters

A new Geneva Association report shows how geopolitical frictions can constrain reinsurance, capital and liquidity. The implications extend to multinational benefits programmes and captives.

G20 GDP growth slowed slightly to 0.7% in the second quarter of 2026 (Q2 2026), down from 0.8% in the prior quarter (Q1 2026), according to provisional OECD estimates published in September 2026, with most member economies posting weaker results. Saudi Arabia’s contraction deepened sharply, with GDP falling -4.8% in Q2 after a 1.4% decline in Q1, driven largely by a steep drop in oil activity. South Africa’s economy

The U.K.’s Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) and Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in September 2026 published coordinated consultation papers proposing a bespoke regulatory regime for captive insurers, aiming to build a domestic market that currently does not exist. U.K. groups typically establish captives in Guernsey, the Isle of Man, Ireland, Luxembourg or Bermuda; the consultation closes October 14, 2026, with implementation targeted for mid-2027. The initial phase covers single-parent captives

The rapid expansion of data centers could open a significant new growth avenue for the captive insurance market, according to Fitch Ratings. Speaking in September 2026 at the Rendez-Vous de Septembre reinsurance conference in Monte Carlo, Fitch’s head of EMEA reinsurance ratings, Manuel Arrivé, said data centers represent a major opportunity for the broader re/insurance sector. But he cautioned that the scale and complexity of these exposures mean capacity

Ceded U.S. health insurance premium to the reinsurance market has soared to $203 billion in 2025, up from $59 billion in 2016—a jump of more than 300% over the decade, according to a new AM Best report published in September 2026. The report, Best’s Market Segment Report: Global Reinsurance – Health, attributes the growth to elevated high-cost claims, rising utilization, and persistent medical cost trends that are pushing U.S.

OECD-wide annual inflation held steady at 4.1% in July 2026, following a decline in June, as increases in 13 member countries were largely offset by declines in 14 others, with 11 more remaining stable. Energy inflation stayed above 10% for a fourth consecutive month, reaching 11.6%, while core inflation (excluding food and energy) remained flat at 3.6%. Food inflation eased to 3.2% from 3.4% in June, with 23 OECD

Small and medium enterprises (SME) continue to face challenging financing conditions with borrowing costs well above pre-COVID levels and new lending volumes remaining 20% lower than 2019 in real terms, according to a new OECD report published in August 2026. The financing squeeze is intensifying as lenders demand greater security from SME borrowers. The share of small businesses required to provide collateral jumped 5 percentage points to reach 53%

European Economic Area (EEA) unit-linked personal pension products generated average returns of 9.6% in 2024, according to new analysis from the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA), published in Apriol 2026. The authority’s Costs and Past Performance Report examined 1,677 pension products across the EEA, revealing significant performance variations by product type and geography. Over the five-year period from 2020-2024, unit-linked personal pension products delivered annualized net returns

According to the latest estimates published in April 2026 in the OECD Main Science and Technology Indicators, research and development investment across OECD countries in 2024 maintained steady 2.6% growth (inflation-adjusted), even as government R&D budgets tightened and shifted toward defense priorities. The United States led major economies with 3.4% R&D growth, while the European Union managed just 0.4% expansion. Germany, Europe’s economic powerhouse, saw R&D spending decline by

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in April 2026 downgraded global economic projections to 2.9% growth in 2026 and 3.0% in 2027, citing energy supply disruptions from Middle East conflict as the primary drag on previously robust expansion. While the global economy entered 2026 with solid momentum from technology production and reduced US trade tariffs, energy price shocks are now creating significant headwinds. The organization warns that

US life and health insurance impairments fell by half in 2024, with only five companies experiencing financial distress compared to 10 in 2023, according to AM Best research published in March 2026. The sharp decline marks a significant improvement for industry stability, though recent impairments continue to stem from troubled affiliate relationships. Three of 2024’s five impairments involved a Connecticut life insurer and its two captive reinsurance subsidiaries, all

Private market exits more than doubled in value to $484 billion in 2025, signaling a dramatic but selective recovery driven by mega-deals and breakthrough sectors, according to Deloitte’s latest quarterly report published in March 2026. The growth concentrated heavily in large transactions, particularly among venture capital unicorns where median exit values jumped over 200%. Artificial intelligence led sectoral performance with exit values soaring 225% year-over-year, while the number of

Strategic maturity remains the strongest predictor of success for internal communication teams, with well-socialized strategies helping organizations reduce risk and exceed performance targets, according to Gallagher’s 2026 Employee Communications Report, published in March 2026. The study of over 1,300 communications and HR professionals across 40 countries reveals a widening “Readiness Gap” between organizational needs and current capabilities. Organizations with high communication volumes experience a 30% jump in leadership trust

The OECD and UN Statistics Division in March 2026 released comprehensive new data revealing that the world’s 500 largest multinational enterprises are increasingly concentrated in the Americas and Europe, which together account for 74% of MNE headquarters and revenue compared to just 24% in Asia. The enhanced Multinational Enterprise Information Platform (MEIP) now includes employee, revenue, net profit and R&D data for the first time, using AI tools to

A new study by Gallagher, published in March 2026, of over 1,300 communications and HR professionals reveals a widening “Readiness Gap” between where organizations are and where they need to be to maximize performance in today’s volatile business environment. Gallagher’s 2026 Employee Communications Report, based on their 18th annual State of the Sector survey, identifies four critical priorities for communications teams: clarity and direction, workforce readiness, operational enablement, and

In Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries, unemployment remained stable at 5.0% in January 2026, maintaining levels at or below this threshold since April 2022, according to data published in March 2026. Of the 33 OECD countries with available data, 18 saw unemployment rates unchanged from December 2025, while 11 experienced decreases and four countries—Colombia, Denmark, Norway, and Turkey—posted increases. Notable developments include Spain’s unemployment rate dropping

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in March 2026 published new data on inflation, which fell to 3.3% in January 2026 from 3.6% in December 2025, but consumer prices remain 35.6% higher than pre-pandemic levels from December 2019. The decline was broad-based across the OECD region, with 22 of 35 countries reporting lower inflation rates. The number of OECD countries with inflation at or below 2% increased

According to new data published in March 2026 by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), G20 GDP growth decelerated to 0.7% in the fourth quarter of 2025, down from 0.9% in the previous quarter, according to preliminary estimates. The slowdown was driven by contractions in Canada and South Korea, both falling 0.2% after posting growth of 0.6% and 1.3% respectively in Q3. The United States saw growth

According to a study released in March 2026 by PwC, global assets under management (AUM) are projected to surge from $139 trillion today to $200 trillion by 2030, yet the asset and wealth management industry confronts a stark profitability paradox that threatens conventional business models. Despite this massive growth opportunity, profit margins continue their downward spiral. Profit as a share of assets under management has plummeted 19% since 2018

German employers are offering an average of 6.6 employee benefits per company, yet 82% of HR leaders find the benefits market lacks in transparency and struggle to measure actual impact, according to the 2025 Roland Berger Study, published in February 2025. The comprehensive survey of over 1,700 HR executives reveals a troubling disconnect between benefits investment and strategic outcomes. Companies plan to add another 1.4 benefits in 2025, often

According to the latest report from the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA), published in December 2025, cross-border activity among IORPs across the European Economic Area stayed broadly flat in 2024. EIOPA’s fifth annual Cross-Border IORPs Report 2025 shows that 27 cross-border IORPs were active across the EEA last year—down one from 2023. Zoom out, though, and the bigger picture hasn’t changed. EIOPA confirms what it has been

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in October 2025 published its Global Corporate Sustainability Report 2025. Corporate sustainability means integrating  environmental and social considerations into a company’s strategy, operations and disclosure. According to the OECD, “it fosters sound governance and decision-making, while helping investors better understand a company’s long-term risks and opportunities.” The 97-page document provides insights on how companies are implementing the sustainability-related recommendations of the

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has advanced dramatically in recent years, with impacts that are already reshaping society, business, and individual lives. Yet many of these implications remain poorly understood and unevenly shared. Focusing on the economic dimension, the U.S. National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) published in September 2025 a working paper by Erik Brynjolfsson, Anton Korinek, and Ajay K. Agrawal: “A Research Agenda for the Economics of Transformative AI.”