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	<title>Stock Blog Hub &#187; Hartford Financial Services Group Inc</title>
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		<title>(HIG) Hartford Financial Services Group Refunds Premiums &#8211; Cuts Rate</title>
		<link>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2012/04/22/hig-hartford-financial-services-group-refunds-premiums-cuts-rate/99405</link>
		<comments>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2012/04/22/hig-hartford-financial-services-group-refunds-premiums-cuts-rate/99405#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 22 Apr 2012 17:29:48 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>vitalstocks</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Financial]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Property & Casualty Insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[AIG]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[American International Group Inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hartford Financial Services Group Inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[HIG]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MET]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MetLife Inc.]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Miller Industries Inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MLR]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.stockbloghub.com/?p=99405</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Hartford Financial Services Group Inc. (HIG) has agreed to refund premiums worth $24 million to its accidental death and dismemberment policyholders in New York, according to Reuters. The refund pertains to the minimum medical loss ratio (MLR) provision of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The New York Department of Financial Services said that the company reached a settlement with the state regulators after failing to meet the minimum MLR requirement. MLR is the ratio of total loss incurred in claims plus adjustment expenses to total premium earned. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act requires insurance companies to spend a minimum stipulated percentage of premiums earned on payment of claims. In case the insurer fails to do so, it is required to refund the difference between the actual ]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>(HALL) Hallmark Financial Services Sees Rating Action</title>
		<link>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2012/04/16/hall-hallmark-financial-services-sees-rating-action/97749</link>
		<comments>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2012/04/16/hall-hallmark-financial-services-sees-rating-action/97749#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 16 Apr 2012 18:16:59 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>vitalstocks</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Financial]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Property & Casualty Insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Flagstone Reinsurance Holdings Limited]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[FSR]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[HALL]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hallmark Financial Services Inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hartford Financial Services Group Inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[HIG]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Markel Corporation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MKL]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[The Travelers Companies Inc.]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[TRV]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.stockbloghub.com/?p=97749</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[A.M. Best reiterated the issuer credit rating (ICR) of “bbb-” on Hallmark Financial Services Inc. (HALL). Concurrently, the rating agency also reiterated financial strength rating (FSR) of A- (Excellent) and ICR of “a-” of Hallmark Insurance Group and its operating subsidiaries. The outlook remains stable. The rating affirmations of Hallmark Insurance Group and its operating subsidiaries came on the back of the strong risk-adjusted capitalization, moderate operational performance over the five years and financial support provided by Hallmark Financial. The strong risk-adjusted capitalization stemmed from impressive investment income, capital gains and other incomes, though underwriting loss somewhat muted the positives. The rating agency also noted that Hallmark Group remains focused on expanding its exposure to less competitive markets in an effort to enhance its operational performance. However, acquisition integration risks ]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>(ASGN) Company News for March 22, 2012 &#8211; Corporate Summary</title>
		<link>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2012/04/05/asgn-company-news-for-march-22-2012-corporate-summary/96248</link>
		<comments>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2012/04/05/asgn-company-news-for-march-22-2012-corporate-summary/96248#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 05 Apr 2012 17:51:58 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>vitalstocks</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Services]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Staffing & Outsourcing Services]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ASGN]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hartford Financial Services Group Inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[HIG]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Netflix Inc.]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[NFLX]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[On Assignment Inc.]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Oracle Corporation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ORCL]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.stockbloghub.com/?p=96248</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[•    Netflix (NASDAQ:NFLX) announced that next year it would offer an original horror series, Hemlock Grove, starring Bill Skarsgard and Famke Janssen. Following the announcement, Netflix’ shares jumped 4.4% to settle at $120.10 a share •    Shares of Oracle Corporation (NASDAQ:ORCL) came down from its day’s highs to end 2.3% lower yesterday, even though the company reported strong third-quarter results late Tuesday. Oracle posted quarterly earnings of $0.59 per share that lagged the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.54 •    On Assignment, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASGN) announced that it will takeover Apex Systems by paying $600 million which includes debt •    Hartford Financial Services (NYSE:HIG) announced plans to concentrate on group benefits, mutual funds and property and casualty insurance, and said it would exit the annuity business ON ASSIGNMENT (ASGN): Free Stock Analysis ]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2012/04/05/asgn-company-news-for-march-22-2012-corporate-summary/96248/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>(HIG) Stressed Hartford Financial Services Group Announces Split</title>
		<link>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2012/03/23/hig-stressed-hartford-financial-services-group-announces-split/96343</link>
		<comments>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2012/03/23/hig-stressed-hartford-financial-services-group-announces-split/96343#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 23 Mar 2012 19:07:30 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>vitalstocks</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Financial]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Property & Casualty Insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[AIG]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[American International Group Inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Flagstone Reinsurance Holdings Limited]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[FSR]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[GHL]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Goldman Sachs Group]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Greenhill & Co Inc.]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[GS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hartford Financial Services Group Inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[HIG]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MET]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MetLife Inc.]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[PRU]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Prudential Financial Inc.]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.stockbloghub.com/?p=96343</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[After resisting its largest shareholder, John Paulson’s incessant pressure for almost two months, Hartford Financial Services Group Inc. (HIG) finally gave in to the demands of segregating its life insurance and property and casualty (P&#38;C) businesses on Wednesday. Consequently, the company is on the lookout for suitable divestiture opportunities for its Individual Life and Retirement Plans segments along with Woodbury Financial Services. Woodbury is an indirectly-held, wholly-owned retail broker-dealer subsidiary, included in the Individual Life segment’s distribution network. Hartford has hired The Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (GS) and Greenhill &#38; Co. Inc. (GHL) as financial advisors for the same but expects the divestitures to take about two years. The company has also decided to terminate its Individual Annuity business, which offers individual variable, fixed market value adjusted (fixed MVA), fixed ]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2012/03/23/hig-stressed-hartford-financial-services-group-announces-split/96343/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>(HIG) Hartford Financial Services Group Vends Private Placement Unit</title>
		<link>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2011/12/07/hig-hartford-financial-services-group-vends-private-placement-unit/88169</link>
		<comments>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2011/12/07/hig-hartford-financial-services-group-vends-private-placement-unit/88169#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 07 Dec 2011 17:52:22 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>vitalstocks</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Financial]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Property & Casualty Insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[CenterState Banks Inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[CSFL]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Evercore Partners Inc.]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[EVR]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[EXLS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Exlservice Holdings Inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hartford Financial Services Group Inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[HIG]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Reinsurance Group of America Inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[RGA]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.stockbloghub.com/?p=88169</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Yesterday, Hartford Financial Services Group Inc. (HIG) announced an agreement to sell its subsidiary Hartford Life Private Placement (HLPP) to Philadelphia Financial Group Inc. for $117.5 million. The transaction is subject to regulatory approval and closing conditions and is expected to culminate in 2012. The purchase deal will be financed by Reinsurance Group of America Inc. (RGA), while Evercore Partners Inc. (EVR) acted as the financial advisors to Philadelphia Financial. HLPP is an insurance and wealth management service provider for businesses and ultra-high net worth individuals. It also administers corporate and bank-owned life insurance policies and runs institutionally owned group annuity contracts. After the completion of the deal, Philadelphia Financial will handle the private placement insurance business worth $35 billion that is currently serviced by HLPP. Additionally, all the existing ]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2011/12/07/hig-hartford-financial-services-group-vends-private-placement-unit/88169/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>(WRB) W.R. Berkley Corporation Upgraded to Neutral</title>
		<link>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2011/12/01/wrb-w-r-berkley-corporation-upgraded-to-neutral/87679</link>
		<comments>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2011/12/01/wrb-w-r-berkley-corporation-upgraded-to-neutral/87679#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 01 Dec 2011 14:58:32 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>vitalstocks</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Financial]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Property & Casualty Insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hartford Financial Services Group Inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[HIG]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[The Travelers Companies Inc.]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[TRV]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[W.R. Berkley Corporation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Westar Energy Inc.]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WR]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WRB]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.stockbloghub.com/?p=87679</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[We are upgrading our recommendation on W.R. Berkley Corp. (WRB) to Neutral from Underperform on the back of third-quarter earnings beat. The company reported earnings of 44 cents per share, 6 cents ahead of the Zacks Consensus Estimate. The outperformance stemmed from higher contribution from the International and Specialty segments. For three quarters in a row, Berkley has been witnessing a stable retention and a general rate hike. Also, the company has maintained the trend of premium growth for the past many quarters. During the third quarter, the company witnessed a 14% year-over-year growth in net premiums. The growth is, however, attributable mostly to start-up units. Since 2006, when the soft market cycle initiated, the company has made investments in 21 new business units to take advantage of the eventual ]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2011/12/01/wrb-w-r-berkley-corporation-upgraded-to-neutral/87679/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>(HIG) Hartford Financial Services Group &#8211; Bear of the Day</title>
		<link>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2011/11/22/hig-hartford-financial-services-group-bear-of-the-day/87375</link>
		<comments>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2011/11/22/hig-hartford-financial-services-group-bear-of-the-day/87375#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 22 Nov 2011 17:33:52 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>vitalstocks</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Financial]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Property & Casualty Insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hartford Financial Services Group Inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[HIG]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.stockbloghub.com/?p=87375</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[We are downgrading our recommendation on Hartford Financial Services Group (HIG) to Underperform based on its weak third quarter results. The results surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate but declined from the year-ago quarter, primarily due to poor operating performance, with most segments reporting net losses or reduced income. Moreover, higher catastrophe losses coupled with decline in net investment income also contributed to the dismal performance. We remain concerned with the company&#8217;s variable annuities and rate declines amid the volatile economy. Our six-month target price of $16.00 per share equates to about 7.4x our earnings estimate for 2011. Combined with the $0.40 per share annual dividend, this target price implies an expected negative total return of 5.9% over that period. This is consistent with our Underperform recommendation on the shares. HARTFORD ]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2011/11/22/hig-hartford-financial-services-group-bear-of-the-day/87375/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>(TRV) The Travelers Companies Analyst Maintains Neutral on Shares</title>
		<link>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2011/11/10/trv-the-travelers-companies-analyst-maintains-neutral-on-shares/86801</link>
		<comments>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2011/11/10/trv-the-travelers-companies-analyst-maintains-neutral-on-shares/86801#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 10 Nov 2011 17:46:54 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>vitalstocks</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Financial]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Property & Casualty Insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hartford Financial Services Group Inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[HIG]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[The Travelers Companies Inc.]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[TRV]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[W.R. Berkley Corporation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Westar Energy Inc.]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WR]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WRB]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.stockbloghub.com/?p=86801</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The Travelers Companies Inc. (TRV) continues to benefit from its strong market position and economies of scale. The company spent a higher amount in buying back shares supported by its balance sheet strength. It also scores strongly with the credit rating agencies. However, these positives are somewhat dwarfed by the exposure to catastrophe losses and lower net investment income. We thus retain our Neutral recommendation on the company. Travelers has small and mid-sized commercial accounts focus, balanced personal lines book and its lack of exposure to large-account casualty business. Business Insurance continued to deliver positive trends in net written premiums on the back of larger exposure in auto premiums coupled with  a better rate. Also, retention and new business were at improved levels. The company also announced the offering of ]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2011/11/10/trv-the-travelers-companies-analyst-maintains-neutral-on-shares/86801/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>(HIG) Hartford Financial Services Group Records High Third Quarter CAT Loss</title>
		<link>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2011/09/20/hig-hartford-financial-services-group-records-high-third-quarter-cat-loss/83126</link>
		<comments>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2011/09/20/hig-hartford-financial-services-group-records-high-third-quarter-cat-loss/83126#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 20 Sep 2011 18:51:41 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>vitalstocks</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Financial]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Property & Casualty Insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[AIG]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[American International Group Inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[CAT]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Caterpillar Inc.]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hartford Financial Services Group Inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[HIG]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MET]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MetLife Inc.]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.stockbloghub.com/?p=83126</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Yesterday, Hartford Financial Services Group Inc. (HIG) announced that the devastation caused by Hurricane Irene will lead to substantially high catastrophe (CAT) losses in the third quarter of 2011. The pre-tax catastrophe losses for July and August are expected to be within the range of $150–$250 million. Irene would account for about $75–$175 million. The projected catastrophe loss in the third quarter 2011 will be significantly higher than the year-ago quarter’s loss of $13 million as there were no hurricanes or other major natural calamities in the prior-year quarter. Hartford had also reported considerably high catastrophe losses of $290 million in the second quarter of 2011 due to the tornadoes in April and May. As a result, the company had reported second quarter 2011 core earnings of only $12.0 million ]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2011/09/20/hig-hartford-financial-services-group-records-high-third-quarter-cat-loss/83126/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>(TRV) Travelers Companies Downgraded</title>
		<link>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2011/07/12/trv-travelers-companies-downgraded/78836</link>
		<comments>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2011/07/12/trv-travelers-companies-downgraded/78836#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 12 Jul 2011 17:01:40 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>vitalstocks</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Financial]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Property & Casualty Insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hartford Financial Services Group Inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[HIG]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[The Travelers Companies Inc.]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[TRV]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[W.R. Berkley Corporation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Westar Energy Inc.]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WR]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WRB]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.stockbloghub.com/?p=78836</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Given restricted premium growth and pressure on underwriting margins, we are downgrading our recommendation to Underperform on The Travelers Companies Inc. (TRV). Also, potential reserve additions for asbestos liabilities present another risk. Premium growth remains reduced as a result of the adverse impact of soft market conditions. Given the challenging economic environment and a slow recovery, we expect top-line growth to remain muted though lower exposures. Travelers also continues to face reduced underwriting margins related to pricing and loss cost trends. Travelers has a significant exposure to asbestos and environmental claims and related litigation as a result of high market shares of historical acquisitions. In the past, the company had to make reserve additions for its asbestos exposure. We are concerned that Travelers may continue to take extraordinary reserve additions ]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2011/07/12/trv-travelers-companies-downgraded/78836/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>(TRV) The Travelers Companies Closes Brazilian Buy</title>
		<link>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2011/06/21/trv-the-travelers-companies-closes-brazilian-buy/76998</link>
		<comments>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2011/06/21/trv-the-travelers-companies-closes-brazilian-buy/76998#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 22 Jun 2011 00:28:36 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>vitalstocks</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Financial]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Property & Casualty Insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hartford Financial Services Group Inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[HIG]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[The Travelers Companies Inc.]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[TRV]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[W.R. Berkley Corporation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Westar Energy Inc.]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WR]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WRB]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.stockbloghub.com/?p=76998</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The Travelers Companies, Inc. (TRV) wrapped up the acquisition of J. Malucelli Participações em Seguros e Resseguros S.A., a market leader in the surety insurance business in Brazil. Initially in November 2010, Travelers inked the deal to acquire the 43% stake in the Brazilian company with an option to increase its stake up to 49.9% within 18 months. Travelers has already invested $410 million. With the investment from Travelers, the capital level of J. Malucelli will likewise increase. The company already has more than 30% market share. ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­New York-based Travelers is of the opinion that the Brazilian insurance markets are growing at a faster pace and its joint venture with J. Malucelli will leverage its position. Through the venture the company will be able to tap new surety business as ]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>(TRV) The Travelers Companies to Lower Share Buyback</title>
		<link>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2011/06/16/trv-the-travelers-companies-to-lower-share-buyback/76163</link>
		<comments>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2011/06/16/trv-the-travelers-companies-to-lower-share-buyback/76163#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 16 Jun 2011 14:47:42 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>vitalstocks</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Financial]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Property & Casualty Insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hartford Financial Services Group Inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[HIG]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[The Travelers Companies Inc.]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[TRV]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[W.R. Berkley Corporation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Westar Energy Inc.]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WR]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WRB]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.stockbloghub.com/?p=76163</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The Travelers Companies Inc. (TRV) estimates the bad weather in the months of April and May might cost the company between $1 billion to $1.05 billion. Several catastrophes including tornadoes and hail storms in the Midwest and Southeast added to the costs. Travelers, as a result has limited its share repurchase to below $250 million for the second quarter of 2011 and approximately $400 million in excess of operating income for the second half of 2010. The second quarter buyback will be almost 3.5 times lower than that of repurchases made during second quarter 2010. Travelers, in the first quarter bought back 18.9 million shares for $1.1 billion compared with 27.0 million shares for $1.40 billion in the prior year quarter. During the first quarter, Travelers incurred significantly lower catastrophe ]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2011/06/16/trv-the-travelers-companies-to-lower-share-buyback/76163/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>(TRV) The Travelers Companies Sees Debt Rating Action</title>
		<link>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2011/05/29/trv-the-travelers-companies-sees-debt-rating-action/75141</link>
		<comments>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2011/05/29/trv-the-travelers-companies-sees-debt-rating-action/75141#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 29 May 2011 22:08:33 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>vitalstocks</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Financial]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Property & Casualty Insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Flagstone Reinsurance Holdings Limited]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[FSR]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hartford Financial Services Group Inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[HIG]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[The Travelers Companies Inc.]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[TRV]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[W.R. Berkley Corporation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Westar Energy Inc.]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WR]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WRB]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.stockbloghub.com/?p=75141</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[A.M. Best affirmed the issuer credit rating (ICR) and senior debt ratings of “a” of The Travelers Companies, Inc. (TRV). The credit rating agency also reiterated the financial strength ratings (FSR) of A+ (Superior) and ICR of “aa” of Travelers Group, its property/casualty members, and affiliate, Travelers Casualty and Surety Company of America (TCSA) and TCSA&#8217;s affiliate and Travelers Casualty and Surety Company of Europe Limited (TCSCE). The outlook remains stable. The affirmation came on the back of Travelers&#8217; solid operating and underwriting results, strong risk-adjusted capitalization, favorable market profile in commercial and personal lines and financial flexibility and liquidity. The ratings also consider Travelers’ product and geographic diversification, underwriting and financial discipline and conservative investment portfolio. However, the insurer&#8217;s exposure to emerging asbestos and environmental claims and natural and ]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2011/05/29/trv-the-travelers-companies-sees-debt-rating-action/75141/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>(RNR) A.M. Best Affirms RenaissanceRe</title>
		<link>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2011/05/29/rnr-a-m-best-affirms-renaissancere/74566</link>
		<comments>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2011/05/29/rnr-a-m-best-affirms-renaissancere/74566#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 29 May 2011 16:53:38 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>vitalstocks</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Financial]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Property & Casualty Insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Coventry Health Care Inc.]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[CVH]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Flagstone Reinsurance Holdings Limited]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[FSR]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hartford Financial Services Group Inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[HIG]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[RenaissanceRe Holdings Limited]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[RNR]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.stockbloghub.com/?p=74566</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The rating agency A.M. Best Co. has affirmed the issuer credit ratings (ICR) and debt ratings of RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd. (RNR), while maintaining the financial strength rating (FSR) and ICR of Renaissance’s subsidiaries. The outlook for all the ratings remains stable. A.M. Best has reiterated the ICR of RenaissanceRe at “a-”, while maintaining the FSR of A+ (Superior) and ICR of “aa-” of its subsidiaries &#8211; Renaissance Reinsurance Ltd. and Renaissance Reinsurance of Europe. The FSR of A (Excellent) and ICR of “a” were withdrawn in first quarter 2011 for RenRe Insurance due to the sale of the company’s U.S. admitted insurance operations. In addition, A.M. Best has affirmed the FSR of A (Excellent) and ICR of “a” of DaVinci Reinsurance Ltd. (DaVinci) and the ICR of “bbb” of DaVinci ]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2011/05/29/rnr-a-m-best-affirms-renaissancere/74566/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>(HIG) Hartford Financial Services Group Beats The Street</title>
		<link>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2011/05/03/hig-hartford-financial-services-group-beats-the-street/73156</link>
		<comments>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2011/05/03/hig-hartford-financial-services-group-beats-the-street/73156#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 04 May 2011 04:33:12 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>vitalstocks</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Financial]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Property & Casualty Insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hartford Financial Services Group Inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[HIG]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Lincoln National Corporation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[LNC]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[PartnerRe Limited]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[PRE]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[SRS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UltraShort Real Estate ProShares]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.stockbloghub.com/?p=73156</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Hartford Financial Services Group Inc. (HIG) reported its first-quarter adjusted core earnings of $494.0 million or 97 cents per share, modestly beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 95 cents. Additionally, Hartford was way behind the adjusted core earnings of $408 million or 86 cents per share reported in the first quarter of 2010. Hartford’s adjusted core earnings in the first quarter 2011 exclude the DAC unlock benefit of $61 million or 12 cents a share and a benefit from net prior-year reserve development in property and casualty (P&#38;C) segment of $33 million or 7 cents a share. The prior-year quarter excluded the DAC unlock benefit of $79 million or 18 cents a share, a benefit from net prior-year reserve development of $57 million or 13 cents a share and a ]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2011/05/03/hig-hartford-financial-services-group-beats-the-street/73156/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>(TRV) The Travelers Companies Quarterly Report Ahead of Estimates</title>
		<link>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2011/04/25/trv-the-travelers-companies-quarterly-report-ahead-of-estimates/72281</link>
		<comments>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2011/04/25/trv-the-travelers-companies-quarterly-report-ahead-of-estimates/72281#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 25 Apr 2011 15:24:10 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>vitalstocks</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Financial]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Property & Casualty Insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hartford Financial Services Group Inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[HIG]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[The Travelers Companies Inc.]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[TRV]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[W.R. Berkley Corporation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Westar Energy Inc.]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WR]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WRB]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.stockbloghub.com/?p=72281</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The Travelers Companies (TRV) reported operating earnings of $1.89 per share in the first quarter, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.55 by 34 cents. Results were also ahead of $1.22 earned in the prior year quarter. Operating income was $826 million, up 31% from $631 million in the first quarter of 2010. Higher underwriting gains, favorable resolution of prior-year tax matters, lower catastrophe losses and lower outstanding shares helped the company to post improved results. Including net realized investment gains of $13 million or 3 cents per share, Travelers reported a net income of $839 million or $1.92 per share compared with $647 million or $1.26 per share in the first quarter of 2010. The prior-year quarter realized a net investment gain of $16 million or 3 cents a ]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2011/04/25/trv-the-travelers-companies-quarterly-report-ahead-of-estimates/72281/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>(IT) International Business Machines Inks Tech Deal with Hartford Financial Services Group</title>
		<link>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2011/04/14/it-international-business-machines-inks-tech-deal-with-hartford-financial-services-group/71575</link>
		<comments>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2011/04/14/it-international-business-machines-inks-tech-deal-with-hartford-financial-services-group/71575#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 14 Apr 2011 16:23:13 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>vitalstocks</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Management Services]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Services]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Amazon.com Inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[AMZN]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gartner Inc.]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hartford Financial Services Group Inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hewlett-Packard Company]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[HIG]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[HPQ]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[IBM]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[International Business Machines]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[IT]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Microsoft Corporation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MSFT]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.stockbloghub.com/?p=71575</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Information Technology (IT) giant International Business Machines Corp. (IBM) recently inked a new five-year technology services deal with insurance and wealth management company, Hartford Financial Services Group Inc. (HIG). Under the terms of the agreement, IBM will provide IT infrastructure support and services in order to streamline Hartford’s IT operations. Hartford will shift its virtual desktop structure to IBM’s Smart Business Desktop Cloud Solution. IBM’s Smart Business Desktop Cloud service allows users to access applications, information and resources anytime and from anywhere. IBM offers desktop virtualization solutions using cloud computing that consolidates client data into a central unit, thus enhancing security and flexibility. The service also reduces desktop software and hardware management and integration costs. Smart Business Desktop Cloud offers savings of 15% to 40% of total end-user support costs ]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2011/04/14/it-international-business-machines-inks-tech-deal-with-hartford-financial-services-group/71575/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>(HIG) Hartford Financial Services Group Upped by A.M. Best</title>
		<link>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2011/04/14/hig-hartford-financial-services-group-upped-by-a-m-best/71558</link>
		<comments>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2011/04/14/hig-hartford-financial-services-group-upped-by-a-m-best/71558#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 14 Apr 2011 15:17:22 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>vitalstocks</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Financial]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Property & Casualty Insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hartford Financial Services Group Inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[HIG]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.stockbloghub.com/?p=71558</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[On the back of lower investment losses and strong performance in the fourth quarter, the rating agency A.M. Best Co. has revised the ratings outlook of The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. (HIG) as the company diverts to safer risk profiles in its investment portfolio. A.M. Best Co. has raised the outlook to “stable” from “negative”, while it resumed Hartford’s issuer credit rating (ICR) of “bbb+”. Additionally, A.M. Best has affirmed the financial strength rating (FSR) of A (Excellent) and ICRs of “a+” of Hartford’s health and life insurance subsidiaries. The outlook for the ICRs has been revised to stable from negative, while the outlook for the FSRs is stable. Further, A.M. Best has maintained the FSR of A (Excellent) and ICRs of “a+” of the property and casualty insurance ]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2011/04/14/hig-hartford-financial-services-group-upped-by-a-m-best/71558/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>(AAPL) Stock Market News for March 15, 2011 &#8211; Market News</title>
		<link>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2011/03/16/aapl-stock-market-news-for-march-15-2011-market-news/68756</link>
		<comments>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2011/03/16/aapl-stock-market-news-for-march-15-2011-market-news/68756#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 16 Mar 2011 16:05:50 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>vitalstocks</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Personal Computers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Technology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[AAPL]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[AFL]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[AFLAC Inc.]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Apple Inc.]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Berkshire Hathaway]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[BRKB]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Coach Inc.]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[COH]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Exxon Mobil Corporation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[First Solar Inc.]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Frontier Oil Corporation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[FSLR]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[FTO]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[GE]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[General Electric Company]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hartford Financial Services Group Inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[HIG]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[JA Solar Holdings Company Limited]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[JASO]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[LDK]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[LDK Solar CompanyLimited]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Lubrizol Corporation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[LZ]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tesoro Corporation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[TIF]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tiffany & Company]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[TSO]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Western Refining Inc.]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WNR]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[XOM]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.stockbloghub.com/?p=68756</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[On Monday a host of worrying events in Japan took the markets lower. After dropping to their lowest intraday levels in six weeks, the major U.S. stock indexes rebounded late in the afternoon and markets trimmed their losses. The market strength was as usual on the declining side, with all three benchmarks dipping lower to close in the red. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) finished at 11,993.16, shedding 51.24 points or 0.43%. Earlier in the day, the Dow fell 147 points recording its lowest intraday level in six weeks. GE (NYSE:GE) which has nuclear ventures with Hitachi in Japan fell more than 2% and was the most declining stock of the blue-chip index. The Standard &#38; Poor 500 (S&#38;P 500) fell 0.60% to close at 1,296.39. The Nasdaq closed ]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2011/03/16/aapl-stock-market-news-for-march-15-2011-market-news/68756/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>(AMAT) Stock Market News for March 8, 2011 &#8211; Market News</title>
		<link>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2011/03/08/amat-stock-market-news-for-march-8-2011-market-news/68266</link>
		<comments>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2011/03/08/amat-stock-market-news-for-march-8-2011-market-news/68266#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 09 Mar 2011 00:59:07 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>vitalstocks</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Semiconductor Equipment & Materials]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Technology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Advanced Micro Devices Inc.]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[AMAT]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[AMD]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Applied Materials Inc.]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[CIEN]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ciena Corporation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ConocoPhillips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[COP]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Exxon Mobil Corporation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Federated Investors Inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Fifth Third Bancorp]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[FII]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[FITB]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hartford Financial Services Group Inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[HIG]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[HIT]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hitachi Limited]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Janus Capital Group Inc.]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[JDS Uniphase Corporation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[JDSU]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[JNS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WDC]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Western Digital Corporation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[XOM]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.stockbloghub.com/?p=68266</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Markets continued to stay in the red as concerns over oil supplies and mounting unrest in Libya further pushed up crude prices. To add to the woes of investors, the semiconductor index was downgraded which eventually led to technology stocks sliding lower. The fear gauge CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) jumped 8.5% to 20.68 and consolidated volumes on Nasdaq, the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and AMEX was 7.92 billion shares, below the daily average of 8.47 billion for last year. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) shed 0.7% to close at 12,090.03 and the Standard &#38; Poor 500 ended at 1,310.13 after dropping 0.8%. The tech laden Nasdaq Composite Index was weighed down to 2,745.63 and dropped 1.4%. On the New York Stock Exchange advancers beat the decliners by a ]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2011/03/08/amat-stock-market-news-for-march-8-2011-market-news/68266/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>(HIG) Hartford Financial Services Group Earnings Miss &#8211; Company Doubles Dividend</title>
		<link>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2011/02/08/hig-hartford-financial-services-group-earnings-miss-company-doubles-dividend/66304</link>
		<comments>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2011/02/08/hig-hartford-financial-services-group-earnings-miss-company-doubles-dividend/66304#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 08 Feb 2011 16:25:51 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>vitalstocks</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Financial]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Property & Casualty Insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ALL]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Allstate Corporation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hartford Financial Services Group Inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[HIG]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[LNC]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[PartnerRe Limited]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[PRE]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[SRS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UltraShort Real Estate ProShares]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.stockbloghub.com/?p=66304</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Hartford Financial Services Group Inc. (HIG) reported its fourth-quarter adjusted core earnings of $451.0 million or 91 cents per share, lagging the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 96 cents. Additionally, Hartford was way behind the adjusted core earnings of $527 million or $1.12 per share reported in the fourth quarter 2009. The results were adversely impacted by the drop in profits in both the commercial and consumer sides of the property and casualty insurance business, impacted by catastrophe losses and more positive releases of reserves in prior periods, as well as lower capital gains. Hartford’s adjusted core earnings in the fourth quarter 2010 exclude the DAC unlock benefit of $48 million or 10 cents a share and a benefit from net prior-year reserve development in property and casualty (P&#38;C) Commercial, Consumer ]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2011/02/08/hig-hartford-financial-services-group-earnings-miss-company-doubles-dividend/66304/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>(AIG) Will American International Group Sell Its Blackstone Stake?</title>
		<link>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2011/01/03/aig-will-american-international-group-sell-its-blackstone-stake/64405</link>
		<comments>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2011/01/03/aig-will-american-international-group-sell-its-blackstone-stake/64405#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 03 Jan 2011 23:22:02 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>vitalstocks</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Financial]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Property & Casualty Insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[AIG]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[American International Group Inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[BX]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hartford Financial Services Group Inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[HIG]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[LNC]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MET]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MetLife Inc.]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[The Blackstone Group]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.stockbloghub.com/?p=64405</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[In an attempt to repay the government bailout, American International Group Inc. (AIG) is planning to dispose its $510 million stake in The Blackstone Group (BX). According to the SEC filing, AIG had acquired 7% stake in Blackstone by investing $150 million in July 1998. In addition, during the initial public offering of June 2007, AIG was supposed to receive 48.8 million partnership units, being one of the Blackstone’s owners at the time. The partnership units are exchangeable for common shares on a one-for-one basis. During November 2010, AIG planned to exchange 10 million of its partnership units for an equal number of shares, i.e. 10 million shares on December 15, according to the SEC filing. The company sold them for a total amount of $134.1 million. Further, on December ]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2011/01/03/aig-will-american-international-group-sell-its-blackstone-stake/64405/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>(FSR) The Travelers Companies Financial Strength Ratings Withdrawn</title>
		<link>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/12/27/fsr-the-travelers-companies-financial-strength-ratings-withdrawn/61195</link>
		<comments>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/12/27/fsr-the-travelers-companies-financial-strength-ratings-withdrawn/61195#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 27 Dec 2010 23:43:42 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>vitalstocks</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Financial]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Property & Casualty Insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Flagstone Reinsurance Holdings Limited]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[FSR]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hartford Financial Services Group Inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[HIG]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[The Travelers Companies Inc.]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[TRV]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[W.R. Berkley Corporation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Westar Energy Inc.]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WR]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WRB]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.stockbloghub.com/?p=61195</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The financial strength ratings (FSR) of A (Excellent) and issuer credit ratings (ICR) of “a” of Travelers Auto Insurance Co. of New Jersey and Travelers of New Jersey Group, wholly owned subsidiaries of The Travelers Companies Inc. (TRV), have been withdrawn by A.M. Best Co. The rating agency has assigned an NR-5 (Not Formally Followed) to the FSRs and an “nr” to the ICRs. The rating withdrawal follows the merger of Travelers Auto Insurance Co. of New Jersey with Fidelity and Guaranty Insurance Underwriters Inc. and First Trenton Indemnity Company, effective November 1, 2010. Fidelity and Guaranty Insurance Underwriters will now write the personal lines business previously written by Travelers Auto Insurance Co. Consecutively, the FSR of A (Excellent) and ICR of “a” of First Trenton have been affirmed by ]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/12/27/fsr-the-travelers-companies-financial-strength-ratings-withdrawn/61195/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>(AIG) American International Group Implements Recapitalization Plan</title>
		<link>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/12/09/aig-aig-implements-recapitalization-plan-analyst-blog/61791</link>
		<comments>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/12/09/aig-aig-implements-recapitalization-plan-analyst-blog/61791#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 10 Dec 2010 00:25:05 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>vitalstocks</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Financial]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Property & Casualty Insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[AIG]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[American International Group Inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hartford Financial Services Group Inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[HIG]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[LNC]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MET]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MetLife]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.stockbloghub.com/?p=61791</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[After much mulling over the past several weeks, yesterday American International Group Inc. (AIG) gave its thumbs up to execute the recapitalization plan for exiting the US taxpayers loan curriculum, as per the regulatory filing agreed and signed by the two parties. The US federal government has planned to sell about 20% of its stake or about 15 billion shares in AIG by the first quarter of 2011 under the recapitalization program. Finally, AIG agreed to execute the recapitalization program, charted out by the US Federal Reserve in late September, since the company has yet to pay a huge chunk of the $182.5 billion government bailout loan taken in September 2008. Evaluation on this exorbitant debt also came from the credit rating agency, A.M. Best, who affirmed its issuer credit ]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/12/09/aig-aig-implements-recapitalization-plan-analyst-blog/61791/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>(AIG) American International Group Postpones Equity Unit Offering</title>
		<link>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/11/25/aig-american-international-group-postpones-equity-unit-offering/59981</link>
		<comments>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/11/25/aig-american-international-group-postpones-equity-unit-offering/59981#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 26 Nov 2010 04:50:53 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>vitalstocks</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Financial]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Property & Casualty Insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[AIG]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[American International Group Inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[BAC]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Bank of America Corporation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[C]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Citigroup Inc.]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[DB]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Deutsche Bank AG]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hartford Financial Services Group Inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[HIG]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[LNC]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.stockbloghub.com/?p=59981</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Briskly moving ahead with its recapitalization program, on Wednesday, American International Group Inc. (AIG) announced a further extension of 74.48 million of its equity units exchange offering to November 23. With the commencement of the exchange on October 8, AIG had scheduled the expiry of the exchange offering to be on November 10, but on this day it was postponed to November 17, marking the current extension as the second one in line. On October 8, AIG offered 74.48 million of its equity units, wherein every equity unit consists of a corporate unit worth 0.09867 shares of AIG common stock and $3.27 in cash, representing about 95% of the outstanding corporate units. However, the company has been able to tender only about 42.6 million of the corporate units until Wednesday, ]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/11/25/aig-american-international-group-postpones-equity-unit-offering/59981/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>(HIG) Hartford Financial Services Group Earnings Exceed &#8211; Guidance Increased</title>
		<link>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/11/07/hig-hartford-financial-services-group-earnings-exceed-guidance-increased/57965</link>
		<comments>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/11/07/hig-hartford-financial-services-group-earnings-exceed-guidance-increased/57965#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 07 Nov 2010 20:28:40 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>vitalstocks</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Financial]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Property & Casualty Insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ALL]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Allstate Corporation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hartford Financial Services Group Inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[HIG]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[LNC]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[PartnerRe Limited]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[PRE]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.stockbloghub.com/?p=57965</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Hartford Financial Services Group Inc. (HIG) reported its third-quarter adjusted earnings of $485.0 million or 98 cents per share, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 97 cents. The improved showing was attributable to solid execution Incorporatedluding disciplined underwriting performance, and improved investment results. The upside was also attributable to strong growth in assets under management and Hartford’s impressive book value during the quarter. Hartford’s adjusted earnings exclude the DAC unlock benefit of $166 million or 34 cents, benefit from net prior-year reserve development in property and casualty (P&#38;C) Commercial and Consumer markets of $99 million or 19 cents, charge of $40 million or 8 cents, to increase reserves as a result of the Hartford&#8217;s annual environmental reserve evaluation Incorporatedluded in the Corporate and Other segment, and net realized capital losses, ]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/11/07/hig-hartford-financial-services-group-earnings-exceed-guidance-increased/57965/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>(MET) MetLife Reports Lobbying Charges Decline</title>
		<link>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/10/03/met-metlife-reports-lobbying-charges-decline/52437</link>
		<comments>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/10/03/met-metlife-reports-lobbying-charges-decline/52437#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 04 Oct 2010 05:40:01 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>vitalstocks</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Financial]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Life Insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hartford Financial Services Group Inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[HIG]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marsh & McLennan Companies Inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MET]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MetLife]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MMC]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.stockbloghub.com/?p=52437</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[MetLife Inc. (MET) has reported that it spent $1.40 million during the second quarter 2010 to address concerns related to financial regulations and other issues. The lobbying charges have plummeted for MetLife from $1.74 million in the year-ago quarter and $1.61 million during the first quarter of 2010. According to the report filed on July 20, MetLife lobbied the Congress, the U.S. Trade Representative&#8217;s office and the Treasury Department. MetLife also lobbied the federal government on the sweeping financial overhaul and other legislations that were signed in July to prevent any kind of excessive risk-taking that led to the global economic crisis. MetLife also lobbied on other issues such as health care, flood insurance, domestic partnerships, taxes and derivatives. Besides MetLife, its competitors in the insurance sector Marsh &#38; McLennan ]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/10/03/met-metlife-reports-lobbying-charges-decline/52437/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>(AIG) American International Group on Path to Exit TARP</title>
		<link>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/10/03/aig-american-international-group-on-path-to-exit-tarp/53719</link>
		<comments>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/10/03/aig-american-international-group-on-path-to-exit-tarp/53719#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 04 Oct 2010 05:08:40 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>vitalstocks</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Financial]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Property & Casualty Insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[AIG]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[American International Group Inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hartford Financial Services Group Inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[HIG]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[LNC]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MET]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MetLife]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[PRU]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Prudential Financial Inc.]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.stockbloghub.com/?p=53719</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[After numerous mind-wrecking sessions over a fortnight, on Thursday, American International Group Inc. (AIG) and the U.S. Federal Reserve have finally charted out a scheme to free the company from the exorbitant debt that AIG had take under the Troubled Asset Repurchase Program (TARP). Evaluation also came in from the credit rating agency, A.M. Best, who affirmed its issuer credit rating of “bbb” on AIG, reflecting a negative outlook. According to the proposed plan, the U.S. Federal Reserve has agreed to divert AIG’s TARP loan obligations towards the U.S. Treasury. In turn, the Treasury will convert $49.1 billion of preferred shares held with the government to about 1.7 billion shares of AIG’s common stock, at a discount to Wednesday’s closing price of $37.45. However, the Treasury is still expected to ]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/10/03/aig-american-international-group-on-path-to-exit-tarp/53719/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>(LNC) Lincoln National and Hartford Financial Services Group Warrants on Sale</title>
		<link>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/09/08/lnc-lincoln-national-and-hartford-financial-services-group-warrants-on-sale/50848</link>
		<comments>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/09/08/lnc-lincoln-national-and-hartford-financial-services-group-warrants-on-sale/50848#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 09 Sep 2010 00:46:10 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>vitalstocks</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Financial]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Life Insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[AIG]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[American International Group Inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[DB]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Deutsche Bank AG]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hartford Financial Services Group Inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[HIG]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[LNC]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.stockbloghub.com/?p=50848</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[As part of the bailout funds repayment by the insurers through the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP), the US Treasury Department plans to conduct auctions to dispose of its remaining warrants held in Lincoln National Corporation (LNC) and Hartford Financial Services Group Inc. (HIG). During the recession of 2009, the US Treasury provided financial aid to many banks and financial institutions and received warrants in exchange. A warrant gives the purchaser the right to buy common stock at a fixed price or sometimes at steep discounts. For companies that have repaid their TARP, the Treasury is now providing an option to buy back the warrants at a negotiated price. The Treasury plans to sell 52.09 million Hartford warrants and 13.05 million Lincoln warrants in the auction. The Hartford warrants come ]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/09/08/lnc-lincoln-national-and-hartford-financial-services-group-warrants-on-sale/50848/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>(HIG) Hartford Financial Services Group Earnings Exceed &#8211; Profits Soar</title>
		<link>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/08/05/hig-hartford-financial-services-group-earnings-exceed-profits-soar/46830</link>
		<comments>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/08/05/hig-hartford-financial-services-group-earnings-exceed-profits-soar/46830#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 06 Aug 2010 04:28:08 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>vitalstocks</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Financial]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Property & Casualty Insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[AIG]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ALL]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Allstate Corporation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[American International Group Inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hartford Financial Services Group Inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[HIG]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[PartnerRe Limited]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[PRE]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.stockbloghub.com/?p=46830</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Hartford Financial Services Group Inc. (HIG) reported its second-quarter adjusted earnings of $460.0 million or 92 cents per share, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 73 cents. The improved showing in Hartford was attributable to higher profits despite market volatility and higher-than-expected catastrophes. The upside was also attributable to strong profitability in Hartford’s life and P&#38;C businesses. Also, growth in assets under management and book value were impressive during the quarter. Hartford’s adjusted earnings exclude DAC unlock charge of $168 million or 34 cents, current accident year P&#38;C catastrophe losses of $87 million or 18 cents, net asbestos reserve strengthening charge of $110 million or 22 cents, net prior year reserve releases in P&#38;C ongoing operations of $97 million or 19 cents, goodwill impairment charge of $100 million or 20 ]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/08/05/hig-hartford-financial-services-group-earnings-exceed-profits-soar/46830/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>(AIG) Insurance Industry Stock Update &#8211; August 2010 &#8211; Industry Outlook</title>
		<link>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/08/03/aig-insurance-industry-stock-update-august-2010-industry-outlook/46303</link>
		<comments>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/08/03/aig-insurance-industry-stock-update-august-2010-industry-outlook/46303#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 03 Aug 2010 20:40:51 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>vitalstocks</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Financial]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Property & Casualty Insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[AFL]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[AFLAC Inc.]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[AIG]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ALL]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Allstate Corporation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[American International Group Inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ameriprise Financial Inc.]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[AMP]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[EIG]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Employers Holdings]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hartford Financial Services Group Inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[HIG]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inc.]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[LNC]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[PFG]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[PRU]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Prudential Financial Inc.]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[SFG]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[StanCorp Financial Group Inc.]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UAM]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Unitrin Inc.]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Universal American Corp]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UTR]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.stockbloghub.com/?p=46303</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[After enduring stress with respect to pricing pressure and reduced insured exposure through mid-2009, the overall health of the U.S. insurance industry has improved to a great extent in 2010. Though the market turmoil forced many companies to take immense write-downs, the worst of the crisis appears to be now behind us. The soft market conditions, along with legislative changes, remain the chief causes for concern for the overall industry at this point. The industry continues to be challenged by the regulatory uncertainties and massive health care restructuring. Though there are signs of economic recovery, its sluggish pace is expected to continue at least through the remainder of 2010. Also, structural economies of scale have pushed the industry toward consolidation. While enormous financial support from the government helped rescue American ]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/08/03/aig-insurance-industry-stock-update-august-2010-industry-outlook/46303/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>(LNC) Lincoln National Corporation Earns A.M. Best Ratings</title>
		<link>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/06/28/lnc-lincoln-national-corporation-earns-a-m-best-ratings/41750</link>
		<comments>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/06/28/lnc-lincoln-national-corporation-earns-a-m-best-ratings/41750#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 29 Jun 2010 04:26:16 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>vitalstocks</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Financial]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Life Insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[AIG]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[American International Group Inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Flagstone Reinsurance Holdings Limited]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[FSR]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hartford Financial Services Group Inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[HIG]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[LNC]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.stockbloghub.com/?p=41750</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[On June 22, A.M. Best Co. allotted a debt rating of “a-&#8221; to the senior unsecured notes of Lincoln National Corporation (LNC), keeping the outlook stable. In conjunction with assigning ratings, A.M. Best changed Lincoln’s outlook to stable from negative, reiterating the financial strength rating (FSR), issuer credit rating (ICR) and long term debt ratings. The stable outlook reflected that Lincoln has managed to maintain a solid liquidity position besides improving its operating cash flows and capital, and reducing its investment risk and reliance on short-term funding. The company has also raised significant capital in the past year, refinanced its bank credit facility and fulfilled the reserves funding requirements. However, Lincoln faces ongoing risks related to variable annuities and exposure to commercial mortgages and unrealized loss positions within certain asset ]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/06/28/lnc-lincoln-national-corporation-earns-a-m-best-ratings/41750/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>(JPM) Financial Giants Restructure Debt and Issue Notes</title>
		<link>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/06/19/jpm-financial-giants-restructure-debt-and-issue-notes/40820</link>
		<comments>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/06/19/jpm-financial-giants-restructure-debt-and-issue-notes/40820#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 20 Jun 2010 03:49:30 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>vitalstocks</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Financial]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Money Center Banks]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[BAC]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Bank of America Corporation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Goldman Sachs Group]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[GS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hartford Financial Services Group Inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[HIG]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[JPM]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[JPMorgan Chase & Company]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MCO]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MET]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MetLife]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Moody's Corporation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[PRU]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Prudential Financial Inc.]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Western Union Company]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WU]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.stockbloghub.com/?p=40820</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[On Thursday, Reuters reported that financial behemoths JPMorgan Chase &#38; Co. (JPM) and Bank of America Corp. (BAC) have issued fixed interest notes moving ahead with their debt restructuring strategies. Accordingly, JPMorgan reportedly vended off its five-year notes worth $1.25 billion. These notes carried an issue price of $99.795, to mature on Jun 24, 2015. These non-callable notes are projected to have a spread of 145 basis points over the US Treasuries, bearing a fixed interest rate of 3.4% and yield rate of 3.445%. Interest on the notes is payable semi-annually, in equal installments, commencing Dec 24, 2010. JPMorgan’s notes carry a rating of “AA-&#8221;, “Aa3&#8243; and “A+&#8221; from Fitch, Moody’s Investor Service of Moody’s Corp. (MCO) and Standards &#38; Poor’s, respectively. Besides, the company increased the deal, when the ]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/06/19/jpm-financial-giants-restructure-debt-and-issue-notes/40820/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>(LNC) Lincoln National Raises Money Through Offering to Exit TARP</title>
		<link>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/06/15/lnc-lincoln-national-raises-money-through-offering-to-exit-tarp/40545</link>
		<comments>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/06/15/lnc-lincoln-national-raises-money-through-offering-to-exit-tarp/40545#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 16 Jun 2010 00:02:57 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>vitalstocks</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Financial]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Life Insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[AIG]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[American International Group Inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Credit Suisse Group]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[CS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hartford Financial Services Group Inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[HIG]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[JPM]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[JPMorgan Chase & Company]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[LNC]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Morgan Stanley]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wells Fargo & Company]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WFC]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.stockbloghub.com/?p=40545</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[In an attempt to repay its $950 million government bailout fund, Lincoln National Corp. (LNC) announced its intention to raise money through equity and debt offering. As a result, on Monday, the company publicly offered its common stock of about 12.3 million at a purchase price of $27.25 per share. The company expects to raise approximately $335 million from the offer. While this equity stock offering is projected to be closed by June 18, 2010, Lincoln has offered its underwriters a 30-day optional purchase of an additional 15% or 1.8 million shares. Taking its Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) repayment a step further, Lincoln has planned to raise an additional $750 million through a senior note offering. The company aims to utilize $250 million of these note offering proceeds, along ]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/06/15/lnc-lincoln-national-raises-money-through-offering-to-exit-tarp/40545/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>(LNC) Lincoln National Corporation Plans to Repay TARP</title>
		<link>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/05/13/lnc-lincoln-national-corporation-plans-to-repay-tarp/37115</link>
		<comments>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/05/13/lnc-lincoln-national-corporation-plans-to-repay-tarp/37115#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 13 May 2010 20:35:54 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>vitalstocks</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Financial]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Life Insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[AIG]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ALL]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Allstate Corporation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[American International Group Inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ameriprise Financial Inc.]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[AMP]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hartford Financial Services Group Inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[HIG]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[LNC]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[PFG]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[PRU]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Prudential Financial Inc.]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.stockbloghub.com/?p=37115</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Lincoln National Corp. (LNC) is gearing up to repay the bailout money. Dennis Glass, the company’s President and CEO, said at an investor presentation yesterday that this acceleration follows a successful alignment with internal guidelines. Lincoln issued $950 million of preferred stock and a common stock warrant through the U.S. Treasury’s Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) in the third quarter of 2009. Initially, the company expected to repay the TARP money in the second half of 2010 or in the first half of 2011 after strengthening its reserves level. However, according to Lincoln, with an improvement in the economy and capital markets since the beginning of the year coupled with the strength in its business model and capital position, the company is preponing its repayment of the TARP money prior ]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/05/13/lnc-lincoln-national-corporation-plans-to-repay-tarp/37115/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>(AIG) Insurance Industry Stock Update &#8211; May 2010 &#8211; Industry Outlook</title>
		<link>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/05/04/aig-insurance-industry-stock-update-may-2010-industry-outlook/36024</link>
		<comments>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/05/04/aig-insurance-industry-stock-update-may-2010-industry-outlook/36024#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 04 May 2010 21:07:51 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>vitalstocks</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Financial]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Property & Casualty Insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ACAP]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[AFSI]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[AIG]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ALL]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Allstate Corporation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[American International Group Inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[American Physicians Capital Inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ameriprise Financial Inc.]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Amerisafe]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[AMP]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[AMSF]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Amtrust Financial Services Inc (NY)]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[China Life Insurance Company Limited]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Genworth Financial Inc.]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[GNW]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[HALL]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hallmark Financial Services Inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Harleysville Group Inc.]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hartford Financial Services Group Inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[HGIC]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[HIG]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[INDM]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Infinity Property and Casualty Corporation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[IPCC]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[LFC]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[LNC]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[LTD]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[NYM]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Nymagic Inc.]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[PFG]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[PRU]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Prudential Financial Inc.]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[United America Indemnity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Zenith National Insurance Corporation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ZNT]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.stockbloghub.com/?p=36024</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The turmoil in the financial markets created a highly challenging environment for the U.S. insurance industry, forcing many companies to take immense write-downs. In 2010, the overall situation has improved to a great extent and the worst of the crisis appears to be now behind us. However, the soft market conditions along with legislative changes remain a chief cause for concern for the overall industry at this point. Though there are signs of economic recovery, the trend of sluggish pace is expected to continue at least through the remainder of 2010. Also, structural economies of scale have pushed the industry toward consolidation. While enormous financial support from the government helped rescue AIG (AIG) from collapse, many other firms remained under tremendous pressure or have fallen by the wayside. Competition within ]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/05/04/aig-insurance-industry-stock-update-may-2010-industry-outlook/36024/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>(HIG) Hartford Financial Services&#8217; Earnings Report Tops Expectations &#8211; Raises Outlook</title>
		<link>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/05/03/hig-hartford-financial-services-earnings-report-tops-expectations-raises-outlook/35819</link>
		<comments>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/05/03/hig-hartford-financial-services-earnings-report-tops-expectations-raises-outlook/35819#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 03 May 2010 22:05:03 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>vitalstocks</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Financial]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Property & Casualty Insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hartford Financial Services Group Inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[HIG]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.stockbloghub.com/?p=35819</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Hartford Financial Services’ (HIG) first-quarter core earnings came in at 14 cents per share, three cents ahead of the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 11 cents. This also compares favorably with the core loss of $3.66 in the year-ago quarter. The upside was primarily attributable to strong profitability in Hartford’s life and property and casualty businesses. Also, growth in assets under management and book value was impressive during the quarter. In order to repay the bailout money from government and strengthen its balance sheet, Hartford successfully raised capital during the reported quarter. However, deterioration in the combined ratio for ongoing operations of its property and casualty segment was among the negatives. Hartford reported a net income of $319 million, compared to a loss of $1.2 billion in the year-ago quarter. The ]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/05/03/hig-hartford-financial-services-earnings-report-tops-expectations-raises-outlook/35819/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>(AIG) American International Group Expands Board of Directors</title>
		<link>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/04/08/aig-american-international-group-expands-board-of-directors/33212</link>
		<comments>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/04/08/aig-american-international-group-expands-board-of-directors/33212#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 08 Apr 2010 21:14:03 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>vitalstocks</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Financial]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Property & Casualty Insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[AIG]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[American International Group Inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[CB]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hartford Financial Services Group Inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[HIG]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[The Chubb Corporation]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.stockbloghub.com/?p=33212</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Yesterday, American International Group Inc. (AIG) announced that its Board of Directors has elected Henry S. Miller as a Director. Mr. Miller is the Chairman, Managing Director and co-founder of Miller Buckfire &#38; Co. LLC, an investment bank that specializes in corporate restructuring, mergers and acquisitions, debt and equity financing and strategic advisory services. Additionally, he is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of its affiliated business Marblegate Asset Management. According to the Chairman of the AIG Board of Directors, the addition of Mr. Miller to the Board is a strategic fit as the company continues with its restructuring efforts to strengthen its business and repay the federal bailout money. The company had received federal support worth $182.5 billion that prevented its collapse in September 2008. It has been trying ]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/04/08/aig-american-international-group-expands-board-of-directors/33212/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>(HIG) Hartford Financial Services Group Completes TARP Repayment</title>
		<link>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/04/01/hig-hartford-financial-services-group-completes-tarp-repayment/32571</link>
		<comments>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/04/01/hig-hartford-financial-services-group-completes-tarp-repayment/32571#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 01 Apr 2010 16:20:09 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>vitalstocks</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Financial]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Property & Casualty Insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[BAC]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Bank of America Corporation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Goldman Sachs Group]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[GS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hartford Financial Services Group Inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[HIG]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[JPM]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[JPMorgan Chase & Company]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wells Fargo & Company]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WFC]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.stockbloghub.com/?p=32571</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Following its accumulation of $3.05 billion funds from new securities, Hartford Financial Services Group Inc. (HIG) said on Wednesday that it has completed the repayment of the entire $3.4 billion of bailout money it received from the government for its participation in the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) at the height of the credit crisis. The complete repayment of TARP will free the life and property insurer from government involvement in its affairs and pay restrictions, even though the Treasury will still hold Hartford’s warrants for about 52 million shares at an exercise price of $9.79 each. Hartford does not intend to repurchase the warrants at this point. As part of Hartford’s $3.05 billion fund raising, the company sold $1.1 billion in senior notes and issued $1.95 billion in stock ]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/04/01/hig-hartford-financial-services-group-completes-tarp-repayment/32571/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>(HIG) Hartford Financial Services Group&#8217;s Ratings Affirmed by A.M. Best</title>
		<link>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/03/27/hig-hartford-financial-services-groups-ratings-affirmed-by-a-m-best/31975</link>
		<comments>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/03/27/hig-hartford-financial-services-groups-ratings-affirmed-by-a-m-best/31975#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 27 Mar 2010 20:42:03 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>vitalstocks</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Financial]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Property & Casualty Insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[BAC]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Bank of America Corporation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Goldman Sachs Group]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[GS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hartford Financial Services Group Inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[HIG]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[JPM]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[JPMorgan Chase & Company]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wells Fargo & Company]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WFC]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.stockbloghub.com/?p=31975</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Following Hartford Financial Services Group Inc.’s (HIG) recent decision to repay the entire $3.4 billion of bailout money it received from the government under the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP), rating agency A.M. Best Co. has affirmed the issuer credit rating (ICR) of “bbb+&#8221; for the company. However, the outlook for the rating remains negative. Also, the rating agency has affirmed the financial strength ratings (FSRs) of A (Excellent) and ICRs of “a+&#8221; for Hartford’s key life/health insurance subsidiaries. The outlook for the FSRs has improved to stable from negative, but the outlook for the ICRs remains negative. The rating agency has assigned “bbb-&#8221; debt ratings to Hartford’s recently issued convertible preferred stock and senior unsecured notes. Though the rating agency sights Hartford’s TARP repayment plan as positive, the negative ]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/03/27/hig-hartford-financial-services-groups-ratings-affirmed-by-a-m-best/31975/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>(WFC) Wells Fargo Vends $1.25 Billion Notes</title>
		<link>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/03/25/wfc-wells-fargo-vends-1-25-billion-notes/31648</link>
		<comments>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/03/25/wfc-wells-fargo-vends-1-25-billion-notes/31648#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 26 Mar 2010 00:11:03 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>vitalstocks</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Financial]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Money Center Banks]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Goldman Sachs Group]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[GS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hartford Financial Services Group Inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[HIG]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[JPM]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[JPMorgan Chase & Company]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MET]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MetLife]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wells Fargo & Company]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WFC]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.stockbloghub.com/?p=31648</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Moving ahead with its debt restructuring strategies, on Tuesday, Wells Fargo &#38; Co. (WFC) sold $1.25 billion of senior notes, according to IFR, a Thomson Reuters service. Wells Fargo sold these notes at an issue price of $99.875, maturing on Apr 15, 2015. These 5-year non-callable notes are projected to have a spread of 123 basis points over comparable U.S. Treasuries, bearing a fixed interest rate of 3.625% and yield rate of 3.652%. Interest on the notes is payable semi-annually, in equal installments, commencing Oct 15, 2010, settlement being on Mar 30, 2010. The debt issue carries a rating of “A1&#8243;, “AA-“, “AA-&#8221; from Moody’s, Standard &#38; Poor’s and Fitch, respectively. Wells Fargo has appointed Wells Fargo Securities as the sole book-running manager for the sale. Although the details and ]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/03/25/wfc-wells-fargo-vends-1-25-billion-notes/31648/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>(MCO) Hartford Financial Services Group Gets Baa3 Rating From Moody&#8217;s</title>
		<link>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/03/23/mco-hartford-financial-services-group-gets-baa3-rating-from-moodys/31430</link>
		<comments>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/03/23/mco-hartford-financial-services-group-gets-baa3-rating-from-moodys/31430#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 23 Mar 2010 17:49:11 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>vitalstocks</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Credit Services]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Financial]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[BAC]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Bank of America Corporation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Goldman Sachs Group]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[GS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hartford Financial Services Group Inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[HIG]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[JPM]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[JPMorgan Chase & Company]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MCO]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Moody's Corporation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wells Fargo & Company]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WFC]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.stockbloghub.com/?p=31430</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[On Friday, rating agency Moody&#8217;s Investors Service, a division of Moody&#8217;s Corp. (MCO), assigned a stable rating of Baa3 on Hartford Financial Services Group Inc.’s (HIG) $1.1 billion in senior notes that the company plans to sell as part of its preparation to repay the entire $3.4 billion of bailout money it received from the government under the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) at the height of the credit crisis. The offering is part of Hartford’s plan to raise $3.05 billion by issuing new securities. According to the rating agency, the successful execution of Hartford’s new securities offering will show that the financial markets support the company. After incurring sturdy credit losses, Hartford reduced its dividend and raised billions of dollars in private and public transactions last year. It has ]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/03/23/mco-hartford-financial-services-group-gets-baa3-rating-from-moodys/31430/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>(HIG) Hartford Financial Services Group Prices Senior Notes</title>
		<link>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/03/19/hig-hartford-financial-services-group-prices-senior-notes/31278</link>
		<comments>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/03/19/hig-hartford-financial-services-group-prices-senior-notes/31278#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 19 Mar 2010 22:00:10 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>vitalstocks</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Financial]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Property & Casualty Insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[BAC]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Bank of America Corporation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[CMA]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Comerica Incorporated]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[DFS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Discover Financial Services]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Goldman Sachs Group]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[GS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hartford Financial Services Group Inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[HIG]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[JPM]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[JPMorgan Chase & Company]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wells Fargo & Company]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WFC]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.stockbloghub.com/?p=31278</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[As part of its plan to repay the entire $3.4 billion of bailout money it received from the government for participating in the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) at the height of the credit crisis, Hartford Financial Services Group Inc. (HIG) announced the pricing of its public offering of $1.1 billion in senior notes. This offering is part of the company’s plan to raise $3.05 billion by issuing new securities. The $1.1 billion notes of Hartford will consist of $300 million of 4.0% senior notes due March 30, 2015, $500 million of 5.5% senior notes due March 30, 2020 and $300 million of 6.625% senior notes due March 30, 2040. Hartford intends to use only $425 million of the net proceeds from the current notes offering to repurchase preferred shares ]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/03/19/hig-hartford-financial-services-group-prices-senior-notes/31278/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>(CMA) Regional Bank Comerica Repays TARP Fund</title>
		<link>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/03/18/cma-regional-bank-comerica-repays-tarp-fund/31086</link>
		<comments>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/03/18/cma-regional-bank-comerica-repays-tarp-fund/31086#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 18 Mar 2010 17:54:42 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>vitalstocks</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Financial]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Regional - Midwest Banks]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[BAC]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Bank of America Corporation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[CMA]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Comerica Incorporated]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[DFS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Discover Financial Services]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Goldman Sachs Group]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[GS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hartford Financial Services Group Inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[HIG]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[JPM]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[JPMorgan Chase & Company]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wells Fargo & Company]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WFC]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.stockbloghub.com/?p=31086</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Regional bank Comerica Inc. (CMA) said on Wednesday that it has repaid the entire $2.25 billion of bailout money it received from the government for its participation in the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) at the height of the credit crisis. In addition to the principal amount of TARP money, Comerica paid a total of $150.9 million in dividends on the preferred stock it issued to the Treasury in Nov 2008. The repayment of TARP money followed Comerica’s completion of an $880 million common stock offering earlier this month. Comerica funded the repayment with a combination of cash from its corporate fund and sale of common stock. We think the immediate outflow of about $1.37 billion from Comerica’s corporate fund to repay TARP will significantly stretch its liquidity in the ]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/03/18/cma-regional-bank-comerica-repays-tarp-fund/31086/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>(HIG) Hartford Financial Services Group to Repay TARP Money</title>
		<link>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/03/17/hig-hartford-financial-services-group-to-repay-tarp-money/30906</link>
		<comments>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/03/17/hig-hartford-financial-services-group-to-repay-tarp-money/30906#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 17 Mar 2010 21:20:39 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>vitalstocks</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Financial]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Property & Casualty Insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[BAC]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Bank of America Corporation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[DFS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Discover Financial Services]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Goldman Sachs Group]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[GS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hartford Financial Services Group Inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[HIG]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[JPM]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[JPMorgan Chase & Company]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wells Fargo & Company]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WFC]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.stockbloghub.com/?p=30906</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[In order to repay the entire $3.4 billion of bailout money it received from the government for its participation in the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) at the height of the credit crisis, Hartford Financial Services Group Inc. (HIG) said on Tuesday that it will raise $3.05 billion from new securities. The securities of Hartford will consist of $1.45 billion in common stock, $500 million in convertible preferred stock and $1.1 billion in bonds. The move will free the life and property insurer from government involvement in its affairs and pay restrictions, even though the Treasury will still hold Hartford’s warrants for about 52 million shares at an exercise price of $9.79 each. However, Hartford does not intend to repurchase the warrants at this point. In Jan 2009, Hartford became ]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/03/17/hig-hartford-financial-services-group-to-repay-tarp-money/30906/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>($C) U.S. Treasury Reports That New Loans Fall at TARP Banks</title>
		<link>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/03/16/c-u-s-treasury-reports-that-new-loans-fall-at-tarp-banks/30746</link>
		<comments>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/03/16/c-u-s-treasury-reports-that-new-loans-fall-at-tarp-banks/30746#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 16 Mar 2010 21:46:46 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>vitalstocks</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Financial]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Money Center Banks]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[BAC]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Bank of America Corporation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[C]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[CIT]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[CIT Group]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Citigroup Inc.]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[CMA]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Comerica Incorporated]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Fifth Third Bancorp]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[FITB]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Goldman Sachs Group]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[GS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hartford Financial Services Group Inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[HIG]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[JPM]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[JPMorgan Chase & Company]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[KEY]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[KeyCorp]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marshall & Ilsley Corporation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MI]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[PNC]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[PNC Financial Services Group Inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Regions Financial Corporation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[RF]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[STI]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[SunTrust Banks Inc.]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wells Fargo & Company]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WFC]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.stockbloghub.com/?p=30746</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The U.S. Treasury said on Monday that new loans at nine major banks, which received significant government aid through the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) during the height of the financial crisis and have not repaid yet, tumbled in Jan 2010. In its monthly survey of lending on the TARP banks, the Treasury found that new loan originations at these nine banks fell about 35% from Dec 2009 to $35.9 billion in Jan 2010. The amount was even lower than $41.6 billion of loan originations in October when new loans had fallen last. According to the Treasury, the drop in loan originations in January could partially be a result of large increases in originations during November and December of 2009. The nine major banks that are under survey by the ]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>(MFC) Manulife Financial Corporation Expands in China</title>
		<link>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/03/08/mfc-manulife-financial-corporation-expands-in-china/30068</link>
		<comments>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/03/08/mfc-manulife-financial-corporation-expands-in-china/30068#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 08 Mar 2010 23:40:53 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>vitalstocks</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Financial]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Life Insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hartford Financial Services Group Inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[HIG]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[LNC]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Manulife Financial Corporation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MFC]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[PFG]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.stockbloghub.com/?p=30068</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Manulife Financial Corporation (MFC) is continuously growing its operations in China. Recently, the China Insurance Regulatory Commission (CIRC) has approved Manulife-Sinochem, Manulife&#8217;s joint venture company, to operate in Linyi and Yancheng. Manulife-Sinochem is now licensed in 41 cities of China. Manulife-Sinochem is a joint venture company between Manulife (International) Limited (51%) and China Foreign Economic and Trade Trust &#38; Investment Company, a member of the Sinochem group (49%). Manulife-Sinochem began operations in Nov 1996 and was the first Chinese-foreign joint-venture life insurance company established in China. The company currently serves over 500,000 customers across China through approximately 11,000 professionally-trained staff and agents. The insurance market in China is attractive for its growth potential. As a result, investors are eyeing this market. Linyi, the largest city in Shandong, has a population ]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>(HIG) Hartford Financial Services Beats Forecasts &#8211; Swings to Net Gain</title>
		<link>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/02/09/hig-hartford-financial-services-beats-forecasts-swings-to-net-gain/27445</link>
		<comments>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/02/09/hig-hartford-financial-services-beats-forecasts-swings-to-net-gain/27445#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 09 Feb 2010 21:40:04 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>vitalstocks</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Financial]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Property & Casualty Insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hartford Financial Services Group Inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[HIG]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.stockbloghub.com/?p=27445</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Hartford Financial Services’ (HIG) fourth quarter core earnings came in at $1.51 per share, substantially ahead of the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.40. This also compares favorably with the core loss of 72 cents in the year-ago quarter. The upside was primarily attributable to stability in Hartford’s life and property and casualty businesses. Also, Hartford ended the year with a strong capital position. Despite the overall market conditions remaining timid, Hartford delivered strong underwriting results. During the reported quarter, rising stock markets helped strengthen investment income in the company’s life insurance business. Including investment gains and losses, Hartford reported a net income of $557 million or $1.19 per share, compared to a loss of $806 million or $2.71 in the year-ago quarter. Hartford’s net income for the reported quarter was ]]></description>
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		<item>
		<title>(AIG) Insurance Industry Stock Update &#8211; February 2010 &#8211; Industry Outlook</title>
		<link>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/02/08/aig-insurance-industry-stock-update-february-2010-industry-outlook/27383</link>
		<comments>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/02/08/aig-insurance-industry-stock-update-february-2010-industry-outlook/27383#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 09 Feb 2010 03:20:46 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>vitalstocks</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Financial]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Property & Casualty Insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[AHL]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[AIG]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ALL]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Allied World Assurance Company Holdings Limited]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Allstate Corporation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[American International Group Inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ameriprise Financial Inc.]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[AMP]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Aspen Insurance Holdings Limited]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[AWH]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[AXA]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[CNO]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Conseco Inc.]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[EMC Insurance Group Inc.]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[EMCI]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Enstar Group Limited]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ESGR]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Everest Re Group Limited]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[FBL Financial Group Inc.]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[FFG]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[GLRE]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Greenlight Capital Re Limited]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hartford Financial Services Group Inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[HIG]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Infinity Property and Casualty Corporation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[IPCC]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[LNC]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Manulife Financial Corporation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Max Capital Group Limited]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mercer Insurance Group Inc.]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MFC]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MIGP]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MXGL]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[PartnerRe Limited]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[PFG]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Phoenix Companies Inc.]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[PNX]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[PRE]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[PRU]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Prudential Financial Inc.]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Prudential plc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[PUK]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[RE]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[RenaissanceRe Holdings Limited]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[RNR]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UAM]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Unitrin Inc.]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Universal American Corp]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UTR]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.stockbloghub.com/?p=27383</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The turmoil in the financial markets has created a highly challenging environment for the U.S. insurance industry, forcing many companies to take immense write-downs. This trend is expected to continue at least through the first half of 2010, though there are some early signs of an economic recovery. Also, structural economies of scale have pushed the industry toward consolidation. While enormous financial support from the government rescued AIG (AIG) from collapse, many other firms remain under tremendous pressure or have fallen by the wayside. Competition within the segments of the industry has reduced, which is consolidating through mergers and acquisitions. This has increased the market shares of the largest firms. We expect static growth with persistent soft market conditions and an ongoing market crisis, resulting in further consolidation in the ]]></description>
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		<item>
		<title>(NYT) Heavy Earnings Reports Continue &#8211; Earnings Preview</title>
		<link>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/02/08/nyt-heavy-earnings-reports-continue-earnings-preview/27300</link>
		<comments>http://www.stockbloghub.com/2010/02/08/nyt-heavy-earnings-reports-continue-earnings-preview/27300#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 08 Feb 2010 17:52:03 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>vitalstocks</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Publishing - Newspapers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Services]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ALL]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Allstate Corporation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[AN]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[AutoNation Inc.]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[DIS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Electronic Arts Inc.]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ERTS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hartford Financial Services Group Inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[HIG]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[NYT]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[PEP]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pepsico]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[PRU]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Prudential Financial Inc.]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[The New York Times Company]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[VMC]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Vulcan Materials Company]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Walt Disney Company]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.stockbloghub.com/?p=27300</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Earnings Preview 2/5/10 While the bulk of earnings reports are in, there are still many to go, and next week we still have a heavy earnings calendar with a total or 462 firms scheduled to report. Some of the more noteworthy firms reporting are New York Times (NYT), Allstate (ALL), Walt Disney (DIS), Prudential (PRU) and Pepsico (PEP). Unlike the last two weeks, the economic data calendar is relatively light. Monday - No releases of note. Tuesday - Data on wholesale inventories is released. Normally this is not a big market mover, but given the outsized contribution that slower inventory destocking had in the fourth quarter GDP, this report might take on extra importance as it will point to which way the GDP numbers end up getting revised. In December, ]]></description>
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		</item>
	</channel>
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