MetLife IncMET
▲ PositiveDemandrelevance
MetLife's Retirement and Income Solutions segment generated $377 million in adjusted earnings amid record US annuity sales.
Impact on stocks 3
Aging Population▲ · 2 stocks
MetLife Inc
Prudential Financial, Inc.PRU
▲ PositiveDemandrelevance
Prudential posted $3.6 billion in retail annuity sales in the second quarter as US annuity sales hit a record.
Financials▲ · 1 stocks
Principal Financial Group IncPFG
▲ PositiveDemandrelevance
Principal reported transfer deposits of $9 billion, up 30%, amid record annuity and life sales momentum.
Theme Impact 1
Off-coverage companies
Related news
▲2
Dhipaya Life Insurance Launches Aomsin Annuity The Series, Allowing Pension Plan Adjustments With No Premium Increase
Dhipaya Life Insurance Public Company Limited has launched two life insurance products, Aomsin Annuity The Series and Aomsin Endowment The Series, to serve the aging society and modern retirement planning. Aomsin Annuity The Series is the first in Thailand to allow policyholders to adjust the age at which they begin receiving their annuity and the age at which annuity payments end, up to two times before age 59, with premiums remaining unchanged. Policyholders can choose monthly or annual annuity payments, with four payout period options: starting at age 60 or 65 and continuing until age 85 or 90. Annual annuity payments reach as high as 33.5% of the sum insured under the 85/65 plan, or total annuity payments of up to 780% of the sum insured under the 65/90 plan. No medical examination or health questionnaire is required, and premiums can be deducted for tax purposes up to 300,000 baht. Aomsin Endowment The Series is a 60/10 savings-type life insurance policy with premiums paid for only 10 years. Policyholders receive 10% of the sum insured every year from the 11th policy anniversary through the 59th year, and a lump sum of 1,000% of the sum insured upon reaching age 60. It also allows a tax deduction for general life insurance premiums of up to 100,000 baht. Nopporn Boonlaphop, Chief Executive Officer of Dhipaya Life Insurance Public Company Limited, said the company is focused on developing products that align with Thailand's transition into a fully aged society and a super-aged society, and that several more series of products to serve the aging society will follow. Those interested can inquire at any Government Savings Bank branch or the GSB Contact Center at 1115.
▼4
Thai Chamber of Commerce says average household debt surges to 790,000 baht, highest in 18 years
The Center for Economic and Business Forecasting at the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce released the results of its survey on the state of Thai household debt for 2026, finding that average household debt stood at 794,945.49 baht per household, up 7.3%, the highest level since the survey began in 2009, or in 18 years. Of this, 77.2% was formal debt and 22.8% informal. Total monthly repayments came to 21,935.3 baht, up 8.11%. Umakamol Sunthonsurat, assistant director of the Center for Economic and Business Forecasting, said more than half of Thai households lack sufficient emergency savings and that the savings trend continues to decline, with 27.8% of respondents saying they had never saved and 42.6% saying they had not saved compared with the previous year. Thanavath Phonvichai, president of the university and chairman of the advisory board of the Center for Economic and Business Forecasting, said older people who have retired and have no steady income still carry average debt of nearly 300,000 baht, reflecting that Thais cannot ease their debt burden even 10 years after retirement, and that only about 14% of people manage to save according to plan before retirement. The center also maintained its forecast for Thai GDP in 2026 at 2.0-2.5%, supported by agriculture, tourism, with foreign arrivals expected to average 3 million a month and generate 150 billion baht a month, and exports expanding 15-20%. The ratio of household debt to GDP is expected to continue falling, reaching 84% within 2026.
NESDC warns of 3 fiscal risks, urges balance between discipline and welfare
Danucha Pichayanan, Secretary-General of the National Economic and Social Development Council, or NESDC, disclosed that Thailand is facing three fiscal risks that must be watched, noting that fiscal space has shrunk to only 3-4%, and that the large budget cuts for fiscal year 2027 reflect the drawdown of fiscal space during 2023-2024. The first risk is rising public debt, which has climbed from 41.1% of GDP before COVID to 67.5% of GDP at present. The second risk is government revenue collection, with net government revenue to GDP falling from 16.7% in 2016 to 15% in 2025, which is low compared with OECD countries, and an aging society could reduce personal tax collection. The third risk is government spending, with persistent deficits and borrowing of several hundred billion baht each year, while many expenditure items are committed obligations and therefore hard to cut. Danucha proposed three principles to build long-term fiscal strength: prioritizing long-term fiscal management to boost productivity; aligning the social welfare system with target groups by linking data between agencies; and broadening the state's revenue base to be more comprehensive and bring more people into the tax system. He stressed that it should not be a choice between fiscal discipline and social welfare, but that welfare must be designed to care for the people on a fiscally sustainable foundation over the long term.