Actuarial Post

IKEA UK customers will be offered home insurance at the point of sale (POS) when purchasing the retailer’s products through its partnership with Urban Jungle. The shift toward embedding insurance products alongside other products poses an immediate threat to incumbent insurers stuck using legacy channels, says GlobalData, a leading intelligence and productivity platform.

Ajith Nair, Chief Investment Officer of Isio Investment Management, comments ahead of Jackson Hole: “The 2026 Jackson Hole Economic Policy Symposium is likely to be less about immediate policy decisions and more about understanding the longer-term direction of monetary policy, central bank thinking and the implications for investors.

That the company would produce another set of blockbuster results was never in question. However, the additional surprise was its assertion that it would see revenue growth of 70% in 2028, far higher than the 44% analysts were expecting, and further proof that the AI trade is far from exhausted. Indeed, the relief which Nvidia provided came with the suggestion that the AI build-out remains in its early stages where supply simply cannot keep up with demand.

The Government's DB surplus flexibility consultation reflects the improved funding position many DB schemes now enjoy, raising important questions about how surplus can be used more effectively. As policymakers now consider how the new surplus regime should operate as the consultation comes to an end, it will need to address a number of pitfalls, says Broadstone. Greater clarity is needed on how surplus release should interact with a scheme's wider strategy.

TPT supports the Government’s objective of unlocking surplus in well-funded DB schemes while maintaining member protections. It believes the framework strikes a sensible balance between enabling surplus extraction and maintaining appropriate protections for members.

All growth-phase strategies delivered positive returns in Q2 following a volatile start to 2026. Dispersion in returns continues to highlight the importance of strategic default design. At-retirement outcomes demonstrate the role of diversification alongside equity exposure Isio has published its latest analysis of the investment performance and asset allocation of 14 major UK DC master trust providers.

As AI moves from software into the physical world, risk evolves. Physical AI introduces new questions around liability, governance and insurability for organizations and insurers. For the past two years, most discussion around AI has focused on software. However, the next wave of AI will move beyond the screen and into the physical world.

As the FCA finds young investors increasingly turning to AI, Standard Life research shows 29% of 18-34s have used it for pension and retirement information Donna Walsh, Head of Master Trust and IGC Governance at Standard Life, said: “AI is rapidly becoming part of the way younger people navigate their finances, and pensions are no outlier.

Susannah Streeter, Chief Investment Strategist, Wealth Club: ‘’The Footsie may have flirted with fresh closing highs yesterday, but sentiment looks set to become more cautious as investors refocus on worries about inflation proving sticky, huge government debt piles and the prospect of interest rates lingering at elevated levels.

The warning comes as the latest UK Finance Annual Fraud Report reveals criminals stole £1.28 billion through payment fraud during 2025, up 4% year-on-year. Authorised Push Payment (APP) fraud alone accounted for £576.4 million in losses, including £75.6 million in business losses. Everywhen believes the figures underline the importance of businesses preparing employees for increasingly sophisticated social engineering, where a fraudulent call may appear entirely genuine.