September 2004/3

Despite increasing its stock buyback programme last week by $200mn to $500mn - a time-honoured initiative to buoy a share price - international broker Willis will struggle to maintain its impressive growth record without a major acquisition.

But will hurricane make US landfall? Uncertainty still surrounds the potential impact on the insurance industry of Hurricane Ivan, the third major storm to hit the Caribbean in the space of a month.

Devastating S&P downgrade compounds troubles for Swiss Reinsurer following under-reserving revelation and share price collapse As the great and the good from the reinsurance industry converge at the annual Monte Carlo Reinsurance Rendez-Vous, the world