As mental health and substance abuse problems grow sharply in the US, insurance analyst Dean Ungar explains how US health insurers are trying to break down the wall between medical health and mental health and better integrate the latter into their operations. Also in this episode, insurance analysts Frank Yuen, Soichiro Makimoto and Qian Zhu discuss updates to capital regimes in Asia-Pacific, and what it means for insurers in Hong Kong, SAR, Japan and mainland China.

US high-yield bond and loan issuance has fallen sharply since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, as investors turn more risk averse. While private credit lenders have an increasingly important funding role for leveraged middle market companies, the relationship with their private equity-backed portfolio companies is less transparent. Better terms among private credit lenders can also mask underlying risk.

While increased usage of cryptocurrencies can facilitate faster transactions for households and increase financial inclusion, it also entails significant risks for emerging markets in particular. These include operational risks (cyber and fraud), reduced government control over monitoring the financial system and increased ability to circumvent capital controls.