China unveils plan to encourage insurance funds into stock markets
China said on Wednesday it will guide big state insurers and commercial insurance funds to increase investments in the A-share market, in a latest move to boost its lagging stock market. Under a plan jointly released by six financial regulators including the securities regulator, big state-owned insurance companies will be directed to raise both the size and proportion of their investments in Chinese stocks listed on the mainland and equity funds. The regulators will implement a long-term performance evaluation for state-owned insurance companies, with the annual return on equity weighted no more than 30% of the evaluation, and at least 60% for a longer three-to-five-year cycle.