The proportion of people without health insurance remained roughly flat overall in the U.S. at 9.1% in 2017, The New York Times reported. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the uninsured rate declined in states that expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act and inched upward in states that did not. The number of people without insurance has fallen by 19.3 million since the ACA's passage in 2010, the Times noted.
The Hartford Financial Services Group Inc. has advanced to the second round of the Goldman Sachs- and JP Morgan-run auction
Europe's General Data Protection Regulation, which takes effect Friday and threatens companies with big fines for infringements, is driving up demand for cyber insurance
U.S. property and casualty
Czech Republic-based Arca Capital intends to work with investor Carl Icahn and other minority shareholders to oppose AmTrust Financial Services Inc.'s proposed going-private transaction.
Ascot Group Ltd. unit Ascot US Holding Corp. agreed to acquire Greyhawk Insurance Co. and unit Greyhawk Specialty Insurance Co. The deal is subject to regulatory approvals.
In India
Meanwhile, private equity firm Warburg Pincus made the highest offer among all bidders for the 26% stake in IndiaFirst Life Insurance Co. Ltd. owned by U.K.-based Legal & General Group PLC, sources told Mint. The potential deal is valued at about $150 million, although this figure might change as talks are still ongoing.
India's insurance regulator wants state-run general insurers National Insurance Co. Ltd., United India Insurance Co. Ltd. and Oriental Insurance Co. Ltd. to raise 100 billion rupees in capital before their planned merger and subsequent listing, an official told Bloomberg News.
Featured news
Dova gets 1st US FDA approval for platelet drug; WHO begins Ebola vaccinations: Dova's nod for Doptelet is the first FDA approval for an oral treatment for thrombocytopenia in chronic liver disease patients; and the WHO began administering Merck & Co's Ebola vaccine in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Financial news in other parts of the world
Asia-Pacific: Warburg Pincus front-runner for IndiaFirst stake; ANZ postpones UDC Finance IPO
Europe: SFO charges vs. Barclays dismissed; Dubai bank to buy Sberbank's Turkish unit
Middle East & Africa: US funds vying for Abraaj unit; Ghana steps up bank consolidation efforts
The day ahead
Early morning futures indicators pointed to a higher opening for the U.S. market.
In Asia, the Nikkei 225 dropped 0.18% to 22,960.34.
In Europe, around midday, the FTSE 100 climbed 0.20% to 7,874.50, and the Euronext 100 gained 0.12% to 1,087.44.
On the macro front
The Redbook and the Richmond Fed Manufacturing Index are due out today.
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