Nationwide has bolstered its shelf of annuity offerings with new additions to its fixed index annuity suite.
The retirement and insurance giant's latest offerings, unveiled Monday, extends its New Heights Select FIA suite to include seven options.
FIAs have been on fire this year, according to Limra, with first-half sales rising 20 percent year over year to reach $58.3 billion. Preliminary data point to even greater strength in the third quarter, with $34.9 billion in FIA sales coming on the back of a 54 percent annual increase.
The new indices in Nationwide's FIA suite, offered in partnership with Loomis Sayles and Nasdaq, aim to provide financial advisors and their clients with enhanced opportunities to protect and grow retirement savings amid continued market volatility.
Among many other significant findings in its 2024 Advisor Authority survey, Nationwide said 19 percent of investors identified asset protection against market risk as the most significant benefit of working with financial professionals.
“The launch of these indices within the New Heights Select suite marks another milestone in our 10-year partnership with Annexus,” Mike Morrone, vice president of Nationwide annuity business development, said in a statement. “We’re proud to continue building upon that partnership, providing solutions that offer greater growth potential and principal protection at a time when investors need it most.”
The Loomis Sayles Discovery Index dynamically allocates between US growth and value equities, incorporating alternative strategies to mitigate the effects of inflation and interest rate changes. Kevin Charleston, chairman and CEO of Loomis Sayles, described the index as “using advanced mathematical techniques” to respond to market conditions and strategically rebalance.
Meanwhile, the Nasdaq-100 Volatility Control 10% PR Index, developed in partnership with Annexus, a firm specializing in insurance and retirement product design, leverages the truVol Risk Control Engine to manage risk by shifting allocations to cash during periods of heightened market volatility.
“The addition of these two indices enhances the diversification opportunities for advisors and their clients,” said Ron Shurts, CEO and co-founder of Annexus.
"The outcome is correct, but it's disappointing that FINRA had ample opportunity to investigate the merits of clients' allegations in these claims, including the testimony in the three investor arbitrations with hearings," Jeff Erez, a plaintiff's attorney representing a large portion of the Stifel clients, said.
The collaboration will give RIAs yet another access point into the alternatives space through a new unified managed account capability.
A drop in interest rates and easier access to capital has reignited appetite among private equity-backed consolidators, who accounted for 53% of RIA deals so far this year- their highest share since 2021 according to DeVoe & Company.
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Barely a decade old, registered index-linked annuities have quickly surged in popularity, thanks to their unique blend of protection and growth potential—an appealing option for investors looking to chart a steadier course through today's choppy market waters, says Myles Lambert, Brighthouse Financial.
