This week, first quarter results were dominated by majors: Allianz, Generali, Zurich and Berkshire Hathaway, just to name a few.

The global high-yield default rate will rise to reach 5% in November this year, according to Moody’s Investors Service forecasts.

Italian insurer Generali blamed “poor financial market conditions” for a 6.9% Q1 fall in new life business, year on year, to €1.3bn (£1bn, $1.5bn).

Zurich Insurance Group reported a drop in net profits for the first quarter, after operating profits fell 23% in general insurance and a marginal decrease in the company’s Global Life business.

How do they do it? Argentina came back into the international debt markets last month with a substantially over-subscribed issue.

This week, Swiss Re published a new Sigma report which identified 21 frontier markets worldwide, and Willis Towers Watson, in its 2016 Global Medical Trends, highlighted the increase in the cost of health insurance.