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Notes on the EEV basis supplementary information

1 Basis of preparation

The EEV basis results have been prepared in accordance with the EEV Principles issued by the CFO Forum of European Insurance Companies in May 2004 and expanded by the Additional Guidance on EEV Disclosures published in October 2005. Where appropriate the EEV basis results include the effects of adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).

The EEV results for the Group are prepared for ‘covered business’ as defined by the EEV Principles. Covered business represents the Group’s long-term insurance business for which the value of new and in-force contracts is attributable to shareholders. The EEV basis results for the Group’s covered business are then combined with the IFRS basis results of the Group’s other operations. These other operations include the results of discontinued banking operations, following the sale of Egg on 1 May 2007.

The definition of long-term business operations is consistent with previous practice and comprises those contracts falling under the definition of long-term insurance business for regulatory purposes together with, for US operations, contracts that are in substance the same as guaranteed investment contracts (GICs) but do not fall within the technical definition. Under the EEV Principles, the results for covered business incorporate the projected margins of attaching internal asset management.

With two principal exceptions, covered business comprises the Group’s long-term business operations. The principal exceptions are for the closed Scottish Amicable Insurance Fund (SAIF) and for the presentational treatment of the financial position of two of the Group’s defined benefit pension schemes. A very small amount of UK group pensions business is also not modelled for EEV reporting purposes.

SAIF is a ring-fenced sub-fund of the Prudential Assurance Company (PAC) long-term fund, established by a Court approved Scheme of Arrangement in October 1997. SAIF is closed to new business and the assets and liabilities of the fund are wholly attributable to the policyholders of the fund. In 2006, a bulk annuity arrangement between SAIF and Prudential Retirement Income Limited (PRIL), a shareholder-owned subsidiary, took place as explained in note 5a. Reflecting the altered economic interest for SAIF policyholders and Prudential shareholders, this arrangement represents a transfer from long-term business of the Group that is not ‘covered’ to business that is ‘covered’ with consequential effect on the EEV basis results.

As regards the Group’s defined benefit pension schemes, the surplus or deficit attaching to the Prudential Staff Pension Scheme (PSPS) and Scottish Amicable Pension Scheme are excluded from the EEV value of UK operations and included in the total for Other operations. The surplus and deficit amounts are partially attributable to the PAC with-profits fund and shareholder-backed long-term business and partially to other parts of the Group. In addition to the IFRS basis surplus or deficit, the shareholders’ 10 per cent share of the PAC with-profits fund’s interest in the movement on the financial position of the schemes is recognised for EEV reporting purposes.

The directors are responsible for the preparation of the supplementary information in accordance with the EEV Principles.

2 Methodology

a Embedded value

Overview

The embedded value is the present value of the shareholders’ interest in the earnings distributable from assets allocated to covered business after sufficient allowance has been made for the aggregate risks in that business. The shareholders’ interest in the Group’s long-term business comprises:

— present value of future shareholder cash flows from in-force covered business (value of in-force business), less a deduction for the cost of locked-in (encumbered) capital;

— locked-in (encumbered) capital; and

— shareholders’ net worth in excess of encumbered capital.

The value of future new business is excluded from the embedded value.

Notwithstanding the basis of presentation of results (as explained in notes 4 and 6) no smoothing of market or account balance values, unrealised gains or investment returns is applied in determining the embedded value or the profit before tax.

Value of in-force business

The embedded value results are prepared incorporating best estimate assumptions about all relevant factors including levels of future investment returns, expenses, persistency and mortality. These assumptions are used to project future cash flows. The present value of the future cash flows is then calculated using a discount rate which reflects both the time value of money and the non-diversifiable risks associated with the cash flows that are not otherwise allowed for.

The total profit that emerges over the lifetime of an individual contract as calculated using the embedded value basis is the same as that calculated under the IFRS basis. Since the embedded value basis reflects discounted future cash flows, under this methodology the profit emergence is advanced thus more closely aligning the timing of the recognition of profits with the efforts and risks of current management actions, particularly with regard to business sold during the year.

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Cost of capital

A charge is deducted from the embedded value for the cost of capital supporting the Group’s long-term business. This capital is referred to as encumbered capital. The cost is the difference between the nominal value of the capital and the discounted value of the projected releases of this capital allowing for investment earnings (net of tax) on the capital.

The annual result is affected by the movement in this cost from year to year which comprises a charge against new business profit and generally a release in respect of the reduction in capital requirements for business in force as this runs off.

Where capital is held within a with-profits long-term fund, the value placed on surplus assets in this fund is already discounted to reflect their release over time and no further adjustment is necessary in respect of encumbered capital. However, where business is funded directly by shareholders, the capital requires adjustment to reflect the cost of that capital to shareholders.

Financial options and guarantees

Nature of options and guarantees in Prudential’s long-term business

Asian operations

Subject to local market circumstances and regulatory requirements, the guarantee features described below in respect of UK business broadly apply to similar types of participating contracts principally written in the PAC Hong Kong branch, Singapore and Malaysia. Participating products have both guaranteed and non-guaranteed elements.

Non-participating long-term products are the only ones where the insurer is contractually obliged to provide guarantees on all benefits. The most significant book of non-participating business in the Group’s Asian operations is Taiwan’s whole of life contracts. For these contracts there are floor levels of policyholder benefits that accrue at rates set at inception by reference to minimum returns established by local regulation. These rates do not vary subsequently with market conditions. Under these contracts the cost of premiums are also fixed at inception based on a number of assumptions at that time, including long-term interest rates, mortality assumptions and expenses. The guaranteed maturity and surrender values reflect the pricing basis.

US operations (Jackson)

The principal options and guarantees in Jackson are associated with the fixed annuity and Variable Annuity (VA) lines of business.

Fixed annuities provide that, at Jackson’s discretion, it may reset the interest rate credited to policyholders’ accounts, subject to a guaranteed minimum. The guaranteed minimum return varies from 1.5 per cent to 5.5 per cent (2006: 1.5 per cent to 5.5 per cent), depending on the particular product, jurisdiction where issued, and date of issue. At 31 December 2007, 80 per cent (2006: 70 per cent) of the fund relates to policies with guarantees of three per cent or less. The average guarantee rate is 3.1 per cent (2006: 3.2 per cent).

Fixed annuities also present a risk that policyholders will exercise their option to surrender their contracts in periods of rapidly rising interest rates, possibly requiring Jackson to liquidate assets at an inopportune time.

Jackson issues VA contracts where it contractually guarantees to the contract holder either a) return of no less than total deposits made to the contract adjusted for any partial withdrawals, b) total deposits made to the contract adjusted for any partial withdrawals plus a minimum return, or c) the highest contract value on a specified anniversary date adjusted for any withdrawals following the contract anniversary. These guarantees include benefits that are payable in the event of death (guaranteed minimum death benefit (GMDB)), annuitisation (guaranteed minimum income benefit (GMIB)), or at specified dates during the accumulation period (guaranteed minimum withdrawal benefit (GMWB) and guaranteed minimum accumulation benefit (GMAB)). Jackson hedges these risks using equity options and futures contracts.

These guarantees generally protect the policyholder’s value in the event of poor equity market performance.

Jackson also issues fixed index annuities that enable policyholders to obtain a portion of an equity-linked return while providing a guaranteed minimum return. The guaranteed minimum returns would be of a similar nature to those described above for fixed annuities.

UK insurance operations

The only significant financial options and guarantees in the UK insurance operations arise in the with-profits fund and SAIF. With-profits products provide returns to policyholders through bonuses that are smoothed. There are two types of bonuses: annual and final. Annual bonuses are declared once a year and, once credited, are guaranteed in accordance with the terms of the particular product. Unlike annual bonuses, final bonuses are guaranteed only until the next bonus declaration. The with-profits fund held a provision on the Pillar I Peak 2 basis of £45 million (2006: £47 million) at 31 December 2007 to honour guarantees on a small amount of guaranteed annuity option products.

Beyond the generic features and the provisions held in respect of guaranteed annuities described above, there are very few explicit options or guarantees of the with-profits fund such as minimum investment returns, surrender values, or annuity values at retirement and any granted have generally been at very low levels.

The Group’s main exposure to guaranteed annuity options in the UK is through SAIF and a provision on the Pillar I Peak 2 basis of £563 million (2006: £561 million) was held in SAIF at 31 December 2007 to honour the guarantees.

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Time value

The value of financial options and guarantees comprises two parts. One is given by a deterministic valuation on best estimate assumptions (the intrinsic value). The other part arises from the variability of economic outcomes in the future (the time value).

Where appropriate, a full stochastic valuation has been undertaken to determine the value of the in-force business including the cost of capital. A deterministic valuation of the in-force business is also derived using consistent assumptions and the time value of the financial options and guarantees is derived as the difference between the two.

The economic assumptions used for the stochastic calculations are consistent with those used for the deterministic calculations. Assumptions specific to the stochastic calculations such as equity volatility and credit losses reflect local market conditions and are based on a combination of actual market data, historic market data and an assessment of long-term economic conditions. Common principles have been adopted across the Group for the stochastic asset models, for example, separate modelling of individual asset classes but with an allowance for correlation between the various asset classes. Details of the key characteristics of each model are given in note 3.

b Level of encumbered capital

In adopting the EEV Principles, Prudential has based encumbered capital on its internal targets for economic capital subject to it being at least the local statutory minimum requirements. Economic capital is assessed using internal models but, when applying the EEV Principles, Prudential does not take credit for the significant diversification benefits that exist within the Group. For with-profits business written in a segregated life fund, as is the case in Asia and the UK, the capital available in the fund is sufficient to meet the encumbered capital requirements.

— Asian operations: the economic capital requirement is substantially higher than local statutory requirements in total. Economic capital requirements vary by territory, but in aggregate, the encumbered capital is equivalent to the amount required under the Insurance Groups Directive (IGD).

— US operations: the level of encumbered capital has been set to an amount at least equal to 235 per cent of the risk-based capital required by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners at the Company Action Level (CAL), which is sufficient to meet the economic capital requirement.

— UK insurance operations: the economic capital requirements for annuity business are fully met by Pillar I requirements being four per cent of mathematical reserves, which are also sufficient to meet Pillar II requirements.

c Risk discount rates

Overview

Under the EEV Principles, discount rates used to determine the present value of future cash flows are set equal to risk-free rates plus a risk margin. The risk margin should reflect any non-diversifiable risk associated with the emergence of distributable earnings that is not allowed for elsewhere in the valuation. Prudential has selected a granular approach to better reflect differences in market risk inherent in each product group. The risk discount rate so derived does not reflect a market beta but instead reflects the expected volatility associated with the cash flows in the embedded value model.

Since financial options and guarantees are explicitly valued under the EEV methodology, discount rates under EEV are set excluding the effect of these product features.

As Prudential’s UK shareholder-backed annuity business is predominantly backed by fixed interest securities, the beta methodology described above is not appropriate. We have therefore used a market consistent embedded value (MCEV) approach to derive an implied risk discount rate which is then applied to the projected cash flows.

In the annuity MCEV calculations, the future cash flows were discounted using the gilt yield curve plus 84 basis points for fixed annuities and 24 basis points for inflation-linked annuities (2006: gilt yield curve plus 34 basis points for both products). The 84 basis points and 24 basis points for 2007 were based on our assessment of the liquidity premium available in the yield on the assets backing the annuity liabilities.

Allowance for risk

The risk allowance in the risk discount rate is determined as follows:

Market risk

Under the Capital Asset Pricing Methodology (CAPM) the discount rate is determined as:

Discount rate = risk-free rate + (beta x equity risk premium)

Under CAPM, the beta of a portfolio or product measures its relative market risk.

The risk discount rates reflect the market risk inherent in each product group and hence the volatility of product cash flows.

They are determined by considering how the profits from each product are affected by changes in expected returns on various asset classes. By converting this into a relative rate of return it is possible to derive a product specific beta.

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Product level betas are calculated each year. They are combined with the most recent product mix to produce appropriate betas and risk discount rates for each major product grouping.

CAPM does not include any allowance for non-market risks since these are assumed to be fully diversifiable. For EEV purposes, however, a risk margin is added for non-diversifiable non-market risks and to cover Group level risks.

Diversifiable non-market risks

No allowance is required for non-market risks where these are assumed to be fully diversifiable. The majority of non-market risks are considered to be diversifiable.

Non-diversifiable, non-market risks

Finance theory cannot be used to determine the appropriate component of beta for non-diversifiable non-market risks since there is no observable risk premium associated with it that is akin to the equity risk premium. Recognising this, a pragmatic approach has been used.

Except for UK shareholder-backed annuity business, a constant margin of 50 basis points (2006: 50 basis points) has been added to the risk margin derived for market risk to cover the non-diversifiable non-market risks associated with the business. For UK shareholder-backed annuity business, a margin of 100 basis points was used (2006: 100 basis points).

d Management actions

In deriving the time value of financial options and guarantees, management actions in response to emerging investment and fund solvency conditions have been modelled. Management actions encompass, but are not confined to, the following areas:

— investment allocation decisions;

— levels of reversionary bonuses and credited rates; and

— total claim values.

Bonus rates are projected from current levels and varied in accordance with assumed management actions applying in the emerging investment and fund solvency conditions.

In all instances, the modelled actions are in accordance with approved local practice and therefore reflect the options actually available to management. For the PAC with-profits fund, the actions assumed are consistent with those set out in the Principles and Practices of Financial Management.

e With-profits business and the treatment of the estate

For the PAC with-profits fund, the shareholders’ interest in the estate is derived by increasing final bonus rates so as to exhaust the estate over the lifetime of the in-force with-profits business. In those few extreme scenarios where the total assets of the life fund are insufficient to meet policyholder claims in full, the excess cost is fully attributed to shareholders.

f Pension costs

The Group operates three defined benefit schemes in the UK. The principal scheme is the Prudential Staff Pension Scheme (PSPS). The other two, much smaller, schemes are the Scottish Amicable and M&G schemes. There is also a small scheme in Taiwan.

Under IFRS the surpluses or deficits attaching to these schemes are accounted for in accordance with the provisions of IAS 19. The surpluses or deficits represent the difference between the market value of the schemes’ assets and the discounted value of projected future benefit payments to retired members and deferred pensioners and, to the extent of service to date, current employed members.

For PSPS the surplus or deficit at the reporting date is allocated between the PAC with-profits fund and shareholder-backed operations by reference to the activities of the members of the scheme during their period of service. At 31 December 2005, the deficit of PSPS was apportioned in the ratio 70/30 between the with-profits fund and shareholder-backed operations following detailed consideration of the sourcing of previous contributions. This ratio was applied to the base deficit position at 1 January 2006 for the purposes of determining the allocation of the movement in that position up to 31 December 2007. The IAS 19 service charge and ongoing employer contributions are allocated by reference to the cost allocation for current activity.

Under the EEV basis the IAS 19 basis surplus or deficit is initially allocated in the same manner. The shareholders’ 10 per cent interest in the PAC with-profits fund estate is determined after inclusion of the portion of the IAS 19 basis surplus or deficit attributable to the fund. Adjustments under EEV in respect of accounting for surpluses or deficits on defined benefit schemes are reflected as part of ‘Other operations’, as shown in note 15.

Separately, the projected cash flows of in-force covered business include contributions to the defined benefit schemes for future service based on the contribution basis applying to the schemes at the time of the preparation of the results.

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g Debt capital

Core structural debt liabilities are carried at market value.

3 Assumptions

a Best estimate assumptions

Best estimate assumptions are used for the cash flow projections, where best estimate is defined as the mean of the distribution of future possible outcomes. The assumptions are reviewed actively and changes are made when evidence exists that material changes in future experience are reasonably certain.

Assumptions required in the calculation of the value of options and guarantees, for example relating to volatilities and correlations, or dynamic algorithms linking liabilities to assets, have been set equal to the best estimates and, wherever material and practical, reflect any dynamic relationships between the assumptions and the stochastic variables.

b Principal economic assumptions

Deterministic

In most countries, the long-term expected rates of return on investments and risk discount rates are set by reference to period end rates of return on cash or fixed interest securities. This ‘active’ basis of assumption setting has been applied in preparing the results of all the Group’s US and UK long-term business operations. For the Group’s Asian operations, the active basis is appropriate for business written in Japan, Korea and US dollar denominated business written in Hong Kong.

An exception to this general rule is that for countries where long-term fixed interest markets are less established, investment return assumptions and risk discount rates are based on an assessment of longer-term economic conditions. Except for the countries listed above, this basis is appropriate for the Group’s Asian operations.

Expected returns on equity and property asset classes in respect of each territory are derived by adding a risk premium, also based on the long-term view of Prudential’s economists, to the risk-free rate. In Asia, equity risk premiums range from 3.0 per cent to 6.0 per cent (2006: 3.0 per cent to 5.8 per cent). In the US and the UK, the equity risk premium is 4.0 per cent above risk-free rates for both 2007 and 2006. Best estimate assumptions for other asset classes, such as corporate bond spreads, are set consistently.

Assumed investment returns reflect the expected future returns on the assets held and allocated to the covered business at the valuation date.

The tables below summarise the principal financial assumptions:

31 Dec 2007 %   31 Dec 2006 %
China Hong Kong India Indonesia Japan Korea   China Hong Kong India Indonesia Japan Korea
Asian operations    
Risk discount rate:
New business 11.75 5.7 15.75 16.75 5.1 9.7   12.0 6.6 16.5 17.5 5.3 9.5
In force 11.75 6.0 15.75 16.75 5.1 9.7   12.0 6.8 16.5 17.5 5.3 9.5
Expected long-term
rate of inflation 4.0 2.25 5.0 6.0 0.0 2.75   4.0 2.25 5.5 6.5 0.0 2.75
Government bond
yield 8.25 4.1 9.25 10.25 2.0 5.8   9.0 4.7 10.5 11.5 2.1 5.0

31 Dec 2007 %   31 Dec 2006 %
Malaysia Philippines Singapore Taiwan Thailand Vietnam   Malaysia Philippines Singapore Taiwan Thailand Vietnam
 
Risk discount rate:
New business 9.3 15.75 6.4 9.1 13.0 16.75   9.5 16.5 6.9 8.8 13.75 16.5
In force 9.1 15.75 6.8 9.8 13.0 16.75   9.2 16.5 6.9 9.3 13.75 16.5
Expected long-term
rate of inflation 2.75 5.0 1.75 2.25 3.0 6.0   3.0 5.5 1.75 2.25 3.75 5.5
Government bond
yield 6.5 9.25 4.25 5.5 6.75 10.25   7.0 10.5 4.5 5.5 7.75 10.5

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31 Dec 2007 %   31 Dec 2006 %
Asia total Asia total
Weighted risk discount rate:note i
New business 9.5 9.8
In force 8.7 8.8

Notes

i The weighted risk discount rates for Asian operations shown above have been determined by weighting each country’s risk discount rates by reference to the EEV basis operating result for new business and the closing value of in-force business.

ii For traditional business in Taiwan, the economic scenarios used to calculate the 2007 and 2006 EEV basis results reflect the assumption of a phased progression of the bond yields from the current rates applying to the assets held to the long-term expected rates.

The projections assume that in the average scenario, the current bond yields at 31 December 2007 of around 2.5 per cent (2006: around 2 per cent) trend towards 5.5 per cent at 31 December 2013.

In projecting forward the Fund Earned Rate, allowance is made for the mix of assets in the fund, future investment strategy, and further market value depreciation of bonds held as a result of assumed future yield increases. These factors, together with the assumption of the phased progression in bond yields, give rise to an average assumed Fund Earned Rate that trends from 0.5 per cent for 2007 to 6.4 per cent for 2014. The assumed Fund Earned Rate increases to 2.5 per cent in 2008 and then increases to 3.3 per cent by 2013. Thereafter, the assumed Fund Earned Rate fluctuates around a target of 6.4 per cent. This projection compares with that applied for the 2006 results of a grading from an assumed rate of 2.1 per cent for 2006 to 5.7 per cent for 2014.

Consistent with the EEV methodology applied, a constant discount rate has been applied to the projected cash flows.

iii The assumptions shown are for US dollar denominated business which comprises the largest proportion of the in-force Hong Kong business.

iv The mean equity return assumptions for the most significant equity holdings in the Asian operations were:

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31 Dec 2007 31 Dec 2006
% %
Hong Kong 8.1 8.7
Malaysia 12.5 12.8
Singapore 9.3 9.3

To obtain the mean, an average over all simulations of the accumulated return at the end of the projection period is calculated. The annual average return is then calculated by taking the root of the average accumulated return minus 1.

v For 2007, cash rates rather than government bond yields were used in setting the risk discount rates for Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan and for Hong Kong dollar denominated business. For 2006, cash rates were used for these operations and for all Hong Kong business (i.e. including US dollar denominated business).

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US operations (Jackson) 31 Dec 2007 %   31 Dec 2006 %
Risk discount rate:*
New business 7.0 7.6
In force 6.0 6.7
Expected long-term spread between earned rate and rate credited to policyholders
for single premium deferred annuity business 1.75 1.75
US 10-year treasury bond rate at end of period 4.1 4.8
Pre-tax expected long-term nominal rate of return for US equities 8.1 8.8
Expected long-term rate of inflation 2.4 2.5

* The risk discount rates at 31 December 2007 for new business and business in force for US operations reflect weighted rates based on underlying rates of 8.1 per cent for variable annuity business and 4.8 per cent for other business. The decrease in the weighted discount rates reflects the decrease in the US 10-year treasury bond rate.

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UK insurance operations 31 Dec 2007 %   31 Dec 2006 %
Risk discount rate:note i
New business 7.3 7.8
In force 7.85 8.0
Pre-tax expected long-term nominal rates of investment return:
UK equities 8.55 8.6
Overseas equities 8.1 to 10.2 8.6 to 9.3
Property 6.8 7.1
Gilts 4.55 4.6
Corporate bonds – with-profits fundsnote ii 6.0 5.3
 – other business 6.25 5.3
Expected long-term rate of inflation 3.2 3.1
Post-tax expected long-term nominal rate of return for the PAC with-profits fund:
Pension business (where no tax applies) 7.85 7.5
Life business 6.9 6.6
Pre-tax expected long-term nominal rate of return for annuity business:note iii
Fixed annuities 5.4 to 5.6 5.0 to 5.1
Linked annuities 5.0 to 5.2 4.8 to 5.0

Notes

i The risk discount rates for new business and business in force for UK insurance operations reflect weighted rates based on the type of business.

ii The assumed long-term rate for corporate bonds for 2007 for with-profits business reflects the purchase of credit default swaps.

iii The pre-tax rates of return for annuity business are based on the gross redemption yield on the backing assets net of a best estimate allowance for future defaults.

Stochastic

The economic assumptions used for the stochastic calculations are consistent with those used for the deterministic calculations described above. Assumptions specific to the stochastic calculations, such as the volatilities of asset returns, reflect local market conditions and are based on a combination of actual market data, historic market data and an assessment of longer-term economic conditions. Common principles have been adopted across the Group for the stochastic asset models, for example, separate modelling of individual asset classes but with allowance for correlation between the various asset classes.

Details are given below of the key characteristics and calibrations of each model.

Asian operations

The same asset return models as used in the UK, appropriately calibrated, have been used for the Asian operations as described for UK insurance operations below. The principal asset classes are government and corporate bonds. Equity holdings are much lower than in the UK whilst property holdings do not represent a significant investment asset.

The stochastic cost of guarantees is primarily only of significance for the Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan operations.

The mean stochastic returns are consistent with the mean deterministic returns for each country. The expected volatility of equity returns for both 2007 and 2006 ranges from 18 per cent to 25 per cent and the volatility of government bond yields ranges from 1.3 per cent to 2.5 per cent (2006: 1.4 per cent to 2.5 per cent).

US operations (Jackson)

— Interest rates are projected using a log-normal generator calibrated to actual market data;

— Corporate bond returns are based on Treasury securities plus a spread that has been calibrated to current market conditions and varies by credit quality; and

— Variable annuity equity and bond returns have been stochastically generated using a regime-switching log-normal model with parameters determined by reference to historical data. The volatility of equity fund returns for both 2007 and 2006 ranges from 18.6 per cent to 28.1 per cent, depending on risk class, and the standard deviation of bond returns ranges from 1.4 per cent to 1.7 per cent (2006: 1.4 per cent to 2.0 per cent).

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UK insurance operations

— Interest rates are projected using a two-factor model calibrated to actual market data;

— The risk premium on equity assets is assumed to follow a log-normal distribution;

— The corporate bond return is calculated as the return on a zero-coupon bond plus a spread. The spread process is a mean reverting stochastic process; and

— Property returns are modelled in a similar fashion to corporate bonds, namely as the return on a riskless bond, plus a risk premium, plus a process representative of the change in residual values and the change in value of the call option on rents.

Mean returns have been derived as the annualised arithmetic average return across all simulations and durations. For each projection year, standard deviations have been calculated by taking the square root of the annualised variance of the returns over all the simulations. These have been averaged over all durations in the projection. For equity and property, the standard deviations relate to the total return on these assets. The standard deviations applied to both years are as follows:

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%
Equities:
UK 18.0
Overseas 16.0
Property 15.0

c Demographic assumptions

Persistency, mortality and morbidity assumptions are based on an analysis of recent experience but also reflect expected future experience. Where relevant, when calculating the time value of financial options and guarantees, policyholder withdrawal rates vary in line with the emerging investment conditions according to management’s expectations.

d Expense assumptions

Expense levels, including those of service companies that support the Group’s long-term business operations, are based on internal expense analysis investigations and are appropriately allocated to acquisition of new business and renewal of in-force business. Exceptional expenses are identified and reported separately.

Asia development and Regional Head Office expenses are charged to EEV basis results as incurred. No adjustment is made to the embedded value of covered business as the amounts of expenditure that relate to operating expenses are not material. Similarly, corporate expenditure for Group Head Office (GHO), to the extent not allocated to the PAC with-profits fund, is charged to the EEV basis result as incurred.

e Inter-company arrangements

The EEV results for covered business incorporate the effect of the reinsurance arrangement of non-profit immediate pension annuity liabilities of SAIF to PRIL, as described in note 5a. In addition, the analysis of free surplus and value of in-force business takes account of the impact of contingent loan arrangements between Group companies.

f Taxation and other legislation

Current taxation and other legislation have been assumed to continue unaltered except where changes have been announced and the relevant legislation passed.

g Asset management and service companies

The value of future profits or losses from asset management and service companies that support the Group’s covered businesses are included in the profits for new business and the in-force value of the Group’s long-term business.

4 Accounting presentation

a Analysis of profit before tax

To the extent applicable, presentation of the EEV profit for the year is consistent with the basis that the Group applies for analysis of IFRS basis profits before shareholder taxes between operating and non-operating results. Operating results reflect the underlying results of the Group’s continuing operations including longer-term investment returns. Operating results include the impact of routine changes of estimates and non-economic assumptions. Non-operating results include certain recurrent and exceptional items that primarily do not reflect the performance in the year of the Group’s continuing operations.

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b Investment return

Profit before tax

With the exception of debt securities held by Jackson, investment gains and losses during the year (to the extent that changes in capital values do not directly match changes in liabilities) are included directly in the profit for the year and shareholders’ funds as they arise.

The results for any covered business conceptually reflects the aggregate of the IFRS results and the movements on the additional shareholders’ interest recognised on the EEV basis. Thus the start point for the calculation of the EEV results for Jackson, as for other businesses, reflects the market value movements recognised on the IFRS basis.

However, in determining the movements on the additional shareholders’ interest the basis for calculating the Jackson EEV result acknowledges that for debt securities backing liabilities the aggregate EEV results reflect the fact that the value of in-force business instead incorporates the discounted value of future spread earnings. This value is not affected generally by short-term market movements on securities that are broadly speaking held with the intent and ability to be retained for the longer term.

Separately, from 31 December 2006, fixed income securities backing the free surplus and required capital are accounted for at fair value. However, consistent with the treatment applied under IFRS for securities classified as available-for-sale, movements in unrealised appreciation on these securities are accounted for in equity rather than in the income statement.

Operating profit

Investment returns, including investment gains, in respect of long-term insurance business are recognised in operating results at the expected long-term rate of return. For the purpose of calculating the longer-term investment return to be included in the operating results of UK operations, where equity holdings are a significant proportion of investment portfolios, values of assets at the beginning of the reporting period are adjusted to remove the effects of short-term market volatility.

For the purposes of determining the long-term returns for debt securities of shareholder-backed operations, a risk margin charge is included which reflects the expected long-term rate of default based on the credit quality of the portfolio. For Jackson, interest-related realised gains and losses are amortised to the operating results over the maturity period of the sold bonds and for equity-related investments, a long-term rate of return is assumed, which reflects the aggregation of risk-free rates and equity risk premium.

c Pension costs

Profit before tax

Movements on the shareholders’ share of surplus or deficit of the Group’s defined benefit pension schemes adjusted for contributions paid in the year are recorded within the income statement. Consistent with the basis of distribution of bonuses and the treatment of the estate described in notes 2d and 2e, the shareholders’ share incorporates 10 per cent of the proportion of the surplus or deficit attributable to the PAC with-profits fund. The surplus or deficit is determined by applying the requirements of IAS 19.

Actuarial gains and losses

Actuarial gains and losses comprise:

— the difference between actual and expected return on the scheme assets;

— experience gains and losses on scheme liabilities; and

— the impact of altered economic and other assumptions on the discounted value of scheme liabilities.

These items are recorded in the income statement but, consistent with the IFRS basis of presentation, are excluded from operating results.

d Effect of changes in economic assumptions and time value of cost of options and guarantees

Movements in the value of in-force business caused by changes in economic assumptions and the time value of cost of options and guarantees resulting from changes in economic factors are recorded in non-operating results.

e Results for asset management operations

The results of the Group’s asset management operations include the profits from management of internal and external funds. For EEV basis reporting, Group shareholders’ other income is adjusted to deduct the expected margin for the year on management of covered business. The deduction is on a basis consistent with that used for projecting the results for covered business. Group operating profit accordingly includes the variance between actual and expected profit in respect of covered business.

Page 315

f Capital held centrally for Asian operations

In adopting the EEV Principles, Prudential has decided to set encumbered capital at its internal targets for economic capital. In Asia, the economic capital target is substantially higher than the local statutory requirements in total. Accordingly, capital is held centrally for Asian operations. For the purpose of the presentation of the Group’s operating results, it is assumed that the centrally held capital is lent interest free to the Asian operations. In turn, the results of the Asian operations include the return on that capital and Group shareholders’ other income for EEV basis reporting is consequently reduced.

g Taxation

The EEV profit for the year for covered business is in most cases calculated initially at the post-tax level. The post-tax profit is then grossed up for presentation purposes at the effective rate of tax. In general, the effective rate corresponds to the corporation tax rate on shareholder profits of the business concerned.

h Foreign currency translation

Foreign currency profits and losses have been translated at average exchange rates for the year. Foreign currency assets and liabilities have been translated at year end rates of exchange. The purpose of translating the profits and losses at average exchange rates, notwithstanding the fact that EEV profit represents the incremental value added on a discounted cash flow basis, is to maintain consistency with the methodology applied for IFRS basis reporting.

The principal exchange rates applied are:

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Closing rate at Average Closing rate at Average Opening rate
Local currency: £ 31 Dec 2007 for 2007 31 Dec 2006 for 2006 at 1 Jan 2006
Hong Kong 15.52 15.62 15.22 14.32 13.31
Japan 222.38 235.64 233.20 214.34 202.63
Malaysia 6.58 6.88 6.90 6.76 6.49
Singapore 2.87 3.02 3.00 2.93 2.85
Taiwan 64.56 65.75 63.77 59.95 56.38
US 1.99 2.00 1.96 1.84 1.72

The exchange movements in 2007 and 2006 recorded within the movements in shareholders’ equity (and for 2007, in note 16) for long-term business and other operations comprise amounts in respect of:

2007 £m   2006 £m
Long-term business operations:
Asian operations 80 (169)
US operations (53) (432)
Other operations 37 242
Total 64 (359)
Page 316

5. Premiums, operating profit and margins from new business

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Annual Premium and Present Value of New
a Premiums and contributionsnote i Contribution Equivalents Business Premiums
Single Regular (APE) (PVNBP)
2007 £m   2006 £m   2007 £m   2006 £m   2007 £m   2006 £m   2007 £m   2006 £m
Asian operations
Chinanote iv 72 27 40 36 47 39 268   198
Hong Kong 501 355 117 103 167 139 1,196   933
India (Group’s 26% interest) 26 20 177 105 180 107 728   411
Indonesia 118 31 109 71 121 74 494   269
Japan 122 68 22 7 34 14 214   97
Korea 179 103 241 208 259 218 1,267   1,130
Malaysia 41 4 78 72 82 72 472   418
Singapore 593 357 67 72 126 108 1,047   803
Taiwan 132 92 218 139 231 148 1,121   743
Other 36 15 55 36 59 37 200   130
Total Asian operations 1,820 1,072 1,124 849 1,306 956 7,007   5,132
US operations
Fixed annuities 573 688 57 69 573   688
Fixed index annuities 446 554 45 55 446   554
Variable annuities 4,554 3,819 455 382 4,554   3,819
Life 7 8 19 17 20 18 158   147
Guaranteed Investment Contracts 408 458 41 46 408   458
GIC – Medium Term Notes 527 437 53 44 527   437
Total US operations 6,515 5,964 19 17 671 614 6,666   6,103
UK insurance operations
Product summary
Internal vesting annuities 1,399 1,341 140 134 1,399   1,341
Direct and partnership annuities 842 780 84 78 842   780
Intermediated annuities 589 592 59 59 589   592
Total individual annuities 2,830 2,713 283 271 2,830   2,713
Equity release 156 89 16 9 156   89
Individual pensions 38 21 1 5 2 42   21
Corporate pensions 283 318 84 66 112 98 737   490
Unit-linked bonds 243 388 24 39 243   388
With-profit bonds 297 139 30 14 297   139
Protection 11 5 9 5 10 26   63
Offshore products 434 540 4 47 54 455   540
Total retail retirement 4,281 4,219 94 75 522 497 4,786   4,443
Corporate pensions 198 261 115 100 135 126 604   643
Other products 190 232 25 26 44 49 276   347
DWP rebates 143 161 14 16 143   161
Total mature life and pensions 531 654 140 126 193 191 1,023   1,151
Total retail 4,812 4,873 234 201 715 688 5,809   5,594
Wholesale annuities notes ii, iii  1,799 1,431 180 143 1,799   1,431
Credit life 21 687 2 69 21   687
Total UK insurance operations 6,632 6,991 234 201 897 900 7,629   7,712
Channel summary
Direct and partnership 2,385 2,543 209 174 448 428 3,288   3,133
Intermediated 2,284 2,169 25 27 253 244 2,378   2,300
Wholesale notes ii, iii  1,820 2,118 182 212 1,820   2,118
Sub-total 6,489 6,830 234 201 883 884 7,486   7,551
DWP rebates 143 161 14 16 143   161
Total UK operations 6,632 6,991 234 201 897 900 7,629   7,712
Group total 14,967 14,027 1,377 1,067 2,874 2,470 21,302   18,947
Page 317

5 Premiums, operating profit and margins from new business continued

Notes

i The tables shown above are provided as an indicative volume measure of transactions undertaken in the reporting period that have the potential to generate profits for shareholders. The amounts shown are not, and not intended to be, reflective of premium income recorded in the IFRS income statement.

APEs are calculated as the aggregate of regular new business amounts and one-tenth of single new business amounts. PVNBPs are calculated as equalling single premiums plus the present value of expected premiums of new regular premium business, allowing for lapses and other assumptions made in determining the EEV new business contribution. New business premiums reflect those premiums attaching to covered business, including premiums for contracts classified as investment products for IFRS basis reporting. New business premiums for regular premium products are shown on an annualised basis. Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) rebate business is classified as single recurrent business. Internal vesting business is classified as new business where the contracts include an open market option.

ii The tables above include the transfer of 62,000 with-profit annuity policies from Equitable Life on 31 December 2007 with assets of approximately £1.7 billion. The transfer represented an APE of £174 million.

iii The tables for 2006 include a bulk annuity transaction with the Scottish Amicable Insurance Fund (SAIF) with a premium of £560 million. The transaction reflects the arrangement entered into in June 2006, for the reinsurance of non-profit immediate pension annuity liabilities of SAIF to Prudential Retirement Income Limited (PRIL) a shareholder owned subsidiary of the Group. SAIF is a closed ring-fenced sub-fund of the PAC long-term fund established by a Court approved Scheme of Arrangement in October 1997, which is solely for the benefit of SAIF policyholders. Shareholders have no interest in the profits of this fund and, accordingly, it is not part of covered business for EEV reporting purposes. Consistent with this treatment, and the transfer of longevity risk, requirement for capital support and entitlement to profits on this block of business from SAIF to Prudential shareholders, the transaction has been accounted for as new business for EEV basis reporting purposes.

iv Subsequent to 29 September 2007, following expiry of the previous management agreement, CITIC-Prudential Life Insurance Company Ltd (CITIC-Prudential), the Group’s life operation in China, has been accounted for as a joint venture. Prior to this date, CITIC-Prudential was consolidated as a subsidiary undertaking. The amounts in the table above include 100 per cent of the total premiums for this operation up to 29 September 2007 and 50 per cent thereafter, being the Group’s share after this date.

b Operating profit

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2007 £m   2006 £m
Pre-tax Tax Post-tax   Pre-tax Tax Post-tax
Note 17ii
Asian operations 653 (173) 480   514 (141) 373
US operationsnote i  285 (100) 185   259 (91) 168
UK insurance operations 277 (77) 200   266 (80) 186
Total 1,215 (350) 865   1,039 (312) 727

Note

i US Operations net of tax profit:

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Before capital charge     197       182
Capital charge     (12)       (14)
After capital charge     185       168

In determining the EEV basis value of new business written in the year the policies incept, premiums are included in projected cash flows on the same basis of distinguishing annual and single premium business as set out for statutory basis reporting. Included within pre-tax new business profits shown in the table above are profits arising from asset management business falling within the scope of covered business of:

2007 £m   2006 £m
Asian operations 44 23
US operations 1 2
UK insurance operations 11 9
Total 56 34

Page 318

5 Premiums, operating profit and margins from new business continued

c Margins

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2007 £m   2007 %
Annual Present value
premium and of new Pre-tax
contribution business new
New business premiums equivalent premiums business New business margin
Single Regular (APE) (PVNBP) contribution   (APE) (PVNBP)
Asian operations 1,820 1,124 1,306 7,007 653   50 9.3
US operations 6,515 19 671 6,666 285   42 4.3
UK insurance operations 6,632 234 897 7,629 277   31 3.6
Total 14,967 1,377 2,874 21,302 1,215   42 5.7
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2006 £m   2006 %
Annual Present value
premium and of new Pre-tax
contribution business new
New business premiums equivalent premiums business New business margin
Single Regular (APE) (PVNBP) contribution   (APE) (PVNBP)
Asian operations 1,072 849 956 5,132 514   54 10.0
US operations 5,964 17 614 6,103 259   42 4.2
UK insurance operations 6,991 201 900 7,712 266   30 3.4
Total 14,027 1,067 2,470 18,947 1,039   42 5.5

New business margin
(APE)   (APE)
2007 %   2006 %
Asian operations:
Hong Kong 73 69
Korea 37 35
Taiwan 58 55
India 12 23
China 50 43
Other 61 72
Weighted average for all Asian operations 50 54

New business margins are shown on two bases, namely the margins by reference to the Annual Premium and Contribution Equivalents (APE) and the Present Value of New Business Premiums (PVNBP).

New business contributions represent profits determined by applying the economic and non-economic assumptions as at the end of the year.

The table of new business premiums and margins above excludes SAIF DWP rebate premiums.

Page 319

6 Operating profit from business in force

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2007 £m   2006 £m
Asian operationsnote ii
Unwind of discount and other expected returnsnote i 340 254
Changes in operating assumptionsnote iia 54 45
Experience variances and other itemsnote iib (1) 16
393 315
US operationsnote iii
Unwind of discount and other expected returns:note i
On value of in-force business and required capital 187 202
On surplus assets 53 49
Spread experience variance 99 118
Amortisation of interest-related realised gains and losses 37 45
Changes in operating assumptions (24) (7)
Othernote iii (10) 42
342 449
UK insurance operationsnote iv
Unwind of discount and other expected returnsnote i 592 530
Effect of change in the UK corporate tax ratenote iva 67
Annuity business:note ivb
Mortality strengthening (312)
Release of margins 312
0
Other items notes ivc, ivd  (77) (110)
582 420
Total 1,317 1,184

Notes

i For Asian operations and UK insurance operations, unwind of discount and other expected returns is determined by reference to the value of in-force business, required capital and surplus assets at the start of the year as adjusted for the effect of changes in economic and operating assumptions reflected in the current year. For the unwind of discount for UK insurance operations included in operating results based on longer-term returns a further adjustment is made. For UK insurance operations the amount represents the unwind of discount on the value of in-force business at the beginning of the year (adjusted for the effect of current year assumption changes), the expected return on smoothed surplus assets retained within the PAC with-profits fund and the expected return on shareholders’ assets held in other UK long-term business operations. Surplus assets retained within the PAC with-profits fund are smoothed for this purpose to remove the effects of short-term investment volatility from operating results. In the balance sheet and for total profit reporting, asset values and investment returns are not smoothed. For US operations the return on surplus assets is shown separately.

ii Asian operations

a Changes in operating assumptions

The £54 million profit from the effect of changes in operating assumptions for 2007 includes a benefit arising from reductions in corporate tax rates in China, Malaysia and Singapore. After grossing up the net of tax benefits totalling £25 million for notional tax of £7 million, the effect on the pre-tax operating result based on longer-term investment returns for Asian operations for 2007 is a credit of £32 million. Also included is a credit of £51 million for the effect of changes in expense assumptions, mainly relating to Singapore (£37 million) and Korea (£21 million) both due to increases in investment margins, a further credit of £17 million for the effect of changes in mortality and morbidity assumptions, offset by a charge of £51 million for the effect of changes in persistency assumptions mainly arising in Singapore (£29 million) as a result of changes in a number of product-related features and updated maturity assumptions and in Taiwan (£15 million) from an increase in lapse rates, reflecting recent experience.

The £45 million profit from the effect of changes in operating assumptions for 2006 for Asian operations includes £24 million in respect of higher assumed investment management margins based on current experience, a further £24 million for the net effect of altered lapse rates across a number of territories and similarly a net £20 million for changes to mortality and morbidity assumptions offset by a charge of £23 million for other items.

b Experience variances and other items

Experience variances and other items, a net charge of £1 million for 2007 (2006: credit of £16 million), include a credit of £47 million (2006: £35 million) for mortality and morbidity experience variance relating to better than expected experience across most territories and a charge of £27 million (2006: £26 million) for expense experience variances in China of £12 million (2006: £14 million) and India of £15 million (2006: £12 million). The negative expense variances in China and India are primarily a reflection of the expenses for new business being in excess of the target levels factored into the valuation of new business for these operations which are at a relatively early stage of development. On the basis of current plans, the target level for India and existing China operations are planned to be attained in 2011. Also for 2007 there is a charge of £11 million in respect of Vietnam for higher than expected investment fees payable on asset managers’ performance, a credit of £4 million (2006: £18 million) in respect of the investment return on capital held centrally in respect of Taiwan and £14 million (2006: £11 million) of other charges.

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iii US operations

The principal component of the £42 million credit in 2006 for other items is £31 million of favourable mortality experience variance.

iv UK insurance operations

a Effect of change in UK corporate tax rate

At 31 December 2007, a change to reduce the UK corporate tax rate from 30 per cent to 28 per cent in 2008 had been enacted in the legislative process. Accordingly, the 2007 results incorporate the effects of this change in projecting the tax cash flows attaching to in force business. Under the convention applied for EEV basis reporting, profits are generally determined on a post-tax basis and then grossed up at the prevailing corporate tax rates to derive pre-tax results. The effect of the change in the UK corporate tax rate is to give rise to a benefit to the value of business in force at 1 January 2007 of £48 million. After grossing up this amount for notional tax of £19 million, the effect on the pre-tax operating results based on longer-term investment returns for UK insurance operations for 2007 is a credit of £67 million.

b Annuity business

For UK insurance operations there is a net nil charge or credit for both the 2007 and 2006 results. However, the 2007 results for annuity business have been determined after a strengthening of explicit mortality assumptions and the release of excess margins in the aggregate liabilities that had previously been set aside as an indirect extra allowance for longevity related risks.

The overall impact of the assumption changes and release of margins for 2007 is as follows:

£m
Strengthening of mortality assumptionsnote 1  (312)
Release of margins:
Projected benefit relatednote 2  144
Investment relatednote 3  82
Expense relatednote 4  29
Othernote 5  57
312
0

1 The mortality assumptions have been strengthened such that the previous future improvement assumptions of medium cohort for males and 75 per cent of medium cohort for females are now subject to a minimum level of improvement in future years.

2 The release of projected benefit related margins relates to modelling improvements that have been made during 2007 and the effect of hedging inflationary increases on certain deferred annuity business.

3 The release of investment related margins predominantly relates to £38 million in respect of default margins and £43 million for adjustments to the assumed liquidity premium. The resulting assumptions for expected defaults and liquidity premium, after allowing for the release of margins, remain appropriate given economic conditions at 31 December 2007.

4 A release of expense reserves has been made following recent expense reductions, on which the related cost of capital on the EEV basis is £29 million.

5 This amount reflects the release of other additional margins in the liabilities that are no longer appropriate in light of the explicit strengthening of the mortality assumptions.

c UK insurance operations other items represent:

2007 2006
£m £m
Cost of development of new products and distribution capabilities (and costs associated
with regulatory requirements for 2006) (36) (32)
Annual licence fee paymentsnotes 1,3  (13) (14)
Expense overruns in respect of tariff agreement with SAIFnotes 2,3  (14) (16)
Adjustments to the policyholder and shareholder taxes for non-participating business
of the PAC long-term fund, after grossing up for notional tax (26)
Other itemsnote 4  (14) (22)
(77) (110)

1 The licence fee payments are made by shareholder-backed subsidiaries of UK insurance operations, via a service company, to the PAC with-profits fund for the right to use trademarks and for the goodwill associated with the purchase of the business of the Scottish Amicable Life Assurance Society in 1997. The licence fee arrangements run to 2017.

2 The charge of £14 million (2006: £16 million) in respect of SAIF, which is not covered business, is borne by a service company and arises from a tariff arrangement which ran to the end of 2007 and was onerous to shareholders.

3 Charges in respect of items 1 and 2 above are reflected in the EEV and IFRS results on an annual basis.

4 The charge for other items includes a positive persistency experience variance of £1 million (2006: negative variance of £9 million).

Page 321

d Expense assumptions

The 2006 EEV basis financial statements included note disclosure which explained that in determining the appropriate expense assumptions account had been taken of the cost synergies that were expected to arise with some certainty from the initiative announced in December 2005 from UK insurance operations working more closely with Egg and M&G and the effect of the end to end review of the UK business, which was under way at the time.

On 29 January 2007 the Company announced the sale of Egg to Citi and on 15 March 2007 the Company announced the actions necessary to implement the reassessed plans in light of this transaction and additional initiatives. In preparing the 2006 results, account was taken of the effect of expense savings that were expected to arise with some certainty. Without this factor the effect on the 2006 results would have been a charge of £44 million for the net effect of revised assumptions in line with 2006 unit costs. For the 2007 results the unit costs are in line with assumptions and no anticipation of savings has been incorporated.

7 Investment return and other income

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2007 £m   2006 £m
IFRS basis 86 58
Less: allocation of investment return on centrally held capital in respect of Taiwan business to the
operating result of Asian operations (4) (18)
Less: projected asset management result in respect of covered business incorporated in opening
EEV value of in-force business (37) (32)
EEV basis 45 8

8 Restructuring costs

Restructuring costs have been incurred as follows:

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2007 £m   2006 £m
UK insurance operations 8 34
M&G 0 2
Unallocated corporate 12 5
Total 20 41

The charge of £20 million (2006: £41 million) comprises £19 million (2006: £38 million) recognised on the IFRS basis and an additional £1 million (2006: £3 million) recognised on the EEV basis for the shareholders’ share of costs incurred by the PAC with-profits fund.

9 Short-term fluctuations in investment returns

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2007 £m   2006 £m
Long-term business:
Asian operationsnote i  226 286
Jacksonnote ii  (9) 63
UK insurance operationsnote iii  (43) 378
Share of investment return of funds managed by PPM America that are consolidated into Group
results but attributable to external investors 1 1
Share of profits of venture investment companies and property partnerships of the PAC with-profits
fund that are consolidated into Group results but are attributable to external investors 1 0
Other operationsnote iv  (2) 10
Total 174 738

Notes

i The short-term fluctuations for Asian operations of £226 million (2006: £286 million) arose mainly from favourable equity investment performancein most territories, principally in Hong Kong of £102 million (2006: £73 million), Vietnam £66 million (2006: £108 million) and Singapore £38 million (2006: £41 million) offset by a negative fluctuation in Taiwan of £26 million principally due to a £30 million value reduction for an investment in a CDO fund (2006: favourable variance of £46 million).

Page 322

ii Short-term fluctuations for Jackson comprise:

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2007 2006
£m £m
Actual investment return on investments less long-term returns included within operating profit:
Actual realised (losses) gains less default assumption and amortisation of interest-related realised gains and losses
for fixed maturity securities and related swap transactions (44) 20
Actual less long-term return on equity-based investments and other items 51 26
Investment return related (loss) gain due primarily to changed expectation of profits on in-force variable annuity business
in future periods based on current period equity returns*, net of related hedging activity (16) 17
(9) 63

* This adjustment arises due to market returns being (lower) higher than the assumed long-term rate of return. This gives rise to (lower) higher than expected year end values of variable annuity assets under management with a resulting effect on the projected value of future account values, and hence future profitability.

iii The charge for UK insurance operations for 2007 of £43 million primarily reflects value movements on the bond holdings of PRIL’s shareholders’ funds due to the net effect of widened credit spreads and reduced interest rates together with the difference between the actual investment return for the with-profits life fund of 7.2 per cent and the gross long-term assumed rate of 7.85 per cent. For 2006, the credit of £378 million reflects the PAC life fund investment return of 12.4 per cent.

iv Comparative figures for 2006 have been adjusted from those previously published to exclude discontinued banking operations.

10 Mark to market value movements on core borrowings

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2007 £m   2006 £m
US operations 9 3
Other operations 214 82
Total 223 85

Core borrowings of the Group are marked to market value under EEV. The figures in the table above reflect the movement in the difference between market and IFRS carrying values. As the liabilities are generally held to maturity or for the long term, no deferred tax asset or liability has been established on the difference (compared to IFRS) in carrying value. Accordingly, no deferred tax charge is recorded in the results in respect of the 2007 credit of £223 million (2006: £85 million).

11 Actuarial gains and losses on defined benefit pension schemes

The gain of £116 million (2006: gain of £207 million) included within profit before tax reflects the shareholders’ share of actuarial gains and losses on the Group’s defined benefit pension schemes. On the EEV basis, this gain includes a 10 per cent share of the actuarial gains and losses on the share attributable to the PAC with-profits fund for the Prudential Staff and Scottish Amicable Pension Schemes. The 2007 gains mainly reflect gains due to changes in economic assumptions, partly offset by the effect of strengthened mortality assumptions. The very high level of shareholders’ actuarial gains in 2006 reflected the excess of market returns over the long-term assumption and the increase in discount rate applied in determining the present value of projected pension payments from 4.8 per cent at 31 December 2005 to 5.2 per cent at 31 December 2006.

12 Effect of changes in economic assumptions and time value of cost of options and guarantees

The profits (losses) on changes in economic assumptions and time value of cost of options and guarantees resulting from changes in economic factors for in-force business included within the profit from continuing operations before tax (including actual investment returns) arise as follows:

2007 £m   2006 £m
Change in economic assumptions Change in time value of cost of options and guarantees Total Change in economic assumptions Change in time value of cost of options and guarantees Total
Asian operationsnote i  201 9 210   (132) 14 (118)
US operationsnote ii  81 8 89   (51) 6 (45)
UK insurance operationsnote iii  466 (17) 449   182 40 222
Total 748 0 748   (1) 60 59

Notes

i The principal components of the effect of changes in economic assumptions in 2007 of £201 million for Asian operations are credits of £110 million in Taiwan and £80 million in Hong Kong. The increase for Taiwan reflects the combined effect of changes to the projected fund earned rate (as explained in note 3), and to economic capital (versus projected), offset by the effect of an increase in the risk discount rate. The increase for Hong Kong reflects a reduction in the risk discount rate for all product lines and an increase in the projected fund earned rate for participating and linked business. The charge of £132 million for 2006 mainly relates to Taiwan where there was a charge of £101 million arising from the delay in the assumed long-term yield projection and the associated effect of this delay on the economic capital requirement.

ii The credit of £81 million for US operations in 2007 arises from the decrease in risk discount rate, partially offset by the negative effect of a reduction in the assumed future rate of return for separate account variable annuity business. Both changes reflect the 0.7 per cent decrease in the 10-year treasury bond rate (as shown in note 3).

iii The effect of changes in economic assumptions in 2007 of £466 million for UK insurance operations reflects a 0.35 per cent increase in the fund earned rate arising from the increase in assumed returns on non-UK equities and corporate bond rates which more than offsets the slight reduction in gilt rates (as shown in note 3), a partial offset from the cost of credit default swaps of £41 million and the effect of the risk discount rate for business in force reducing slightly by 0.15 per cent in a similar way to the fall in gilt rates as also shown in note 3.

Page 323

13 Tax attributable to shareholders’ profit

The tax charge comprises:

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2007 £m   2006 £m
Tax charge (credit) on operating profit from continuing operations based on longer-term
investment returns
Long-term business:note i 
Asian operations notes ii,iii  252 222
US operationsnote v  197 251
UK insurance operationsnotes ii,iii  236 178
685 651
Other operations 9 (17)
Total tax charge on operating profit from continuing operations based on longer-term
investment returns 694 634
Tax charge (credit) on items not included in operating profit
Tax charge on short-term fluctuations in investment returns 22 212
Tax charge on shareholders’ share of actuarial gains and losses on defined benefit
pension schemes 32 62
Tax charge (credit) on effect of changes in economic assumptions and time value of cost
of options and guaranteesnote iv  213 (4)
Total tax charge on items not included in operating profit from continuing operations 267 270
Tax charge on profit from continuing operations (including tax on actual investment returns)note vi  961 904

Notes

i The profit for the year for covered business is in most cases calculated initially at the post-tax level. The post-tax profit for covered business is then grossed up for presentation purposes at the effective rates of tax applicable to the countries and periods concerned. For Asia, this is subject to the availability of taxable profits. For Jackson, the US federal tax rate of 35 per cent is applied to gross up movements on the value of in-force business. Effects on statutory tax for the period affect the overall tax rate. In the UK, the effective rate is the UK corporation tax rate of 28 per cent which will take effect from 1 April 2008 (2006: 30 per cent).

ii Including tax relief on Asia development expenses and restructuring costs borne by UK insurance operations.

iii The 2007 tax charge incorporates the notional tax gross up of £26 million attaching to the change of corporate tax rates in China, Malaysia, Singapore and the UK as detailed
in notes 6 ii a and 6 iv a .

iv The tax credit for 2006 on the effect of changes in economic assumptions includes a credit of £9 million in respect of a change in the tax rate for Malaysia.

v The 2006 tax charge for US operations of £251 million includes a charge in respect of prior years of £29 million and a charge of £26 million in respect of a change in valuation of deferred tax under EEV to reflect discounting over a period of four to 11 years depending upon the type of business concerned. These adjustments also resulted in a reallocation from free surplus to the value of in-force business of £44 million.

vi Comparative results for 2006 have been adjusted from those previously published to exclude discontinued banking operations.

Page 324

14 Earnings per share (EPS)

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2007 £m   2006 £m
Operating EPS from continuing operations:
Operating profit before tax 2,542 2,133
Tax (694) (634)
Minority interests (17) (1)
Operating profit after tax and minority interests from continuing operations 1,831 1,498
Operating EPS from continuing operations 74.9p 62.1p
Total EPS from continuing operations:
Total profit before tax 3,803 3,222
Tax (961) (904)
Minority interests (21) (3)
Total profit after tax and minority interests from continuing operations 2,821 2,315
Total EPS from continuing operations 115.3p 96.0p
Average number of shares (millions) 2,445 2,413

The average number of shares reflects the average number in issue adjusted for shares held by employee trusts and consolidated unit trusts and OEICs which are treated as cancelled.

15 Shareholders’ funds – segmental analysis

2007 £m   2006 £m
Asian operations
Long-term business:note i 
Net assets of operations – EEV basis shareholders’ funds 3,726 2,548
Acquired goodwillnote ii  111 111
Asset management:note iii 
Net assets of operations 111 89
Acquired goodwillnote ii  61 61
4,009 2,809
US operations
Jackson (net of surplus note borrowings of £147m (2006: £158m):note iv 
Shareholders’ funds before capital charge 3,689 3,420
Capital chargenote v  (84) (117)
EEV basis shareholders’ funds 3,605 3,303
Broker-dealer and asset management operationsnote iii  81 57
3,686 3,360
UK operations
Long-term business operations:notes i,vi 
Smoothed shareholders’ fundsnote vii  6,031 5,155
Actual shareholders’ funds less smoothed shareholders’ funds 466 658
EEV basis shareholders’ funds 6,497 5,813
M&G:note iii 
Net assets of operations 271 230
Acquired goodwillnote ii  1,153 1,153
Eggnotes iii,viii  292
7,921 7,488
Other operations
Holding company net borrowings at market valuenote iv  (873) (1,542)
Other net assets (liabilities)note iii  36 (232)
(837) (1,774)
Total 14,779 11,883

Page 325

Notes

i A charge is deducted from the annual result and embedded value for the cost of capital supporting the Group’s long-term business operations. This capital is referred to as encumbered capital. The cost is the difference between the nominal value of the capital and the discounted value of the projected releases of this capital allowing for investment earnings (net of tax) on the capital. Where encumbered capital is held within a with-profits fund, the value placed on surplus assets in the fund is already discounted to reflect its release over time and no further adjustment is necessary in respect of encumbered capital.

ii Under IFRS, goodwill is not amortised but is subject to impairment testing. Goodwill attaching to venture fund investment subsidiaries of the PAC with-profits fund that are consolidated under IFRS is not included in the table above as the goodwill attaching to these companies is not relevant to the analysis of shareholders’ funds.

iii With the exception of the share of pension scheme surplus attributable to the PAC with-profits fund which is included in Other operations’ net assets (liabilities), and the borrowings as described in note iv, the amounts shown for the items in the table above that are referenced to this note have been determined on the statutory IFRS basis. The overall pension scheme surplus, net of tax, attributable to shareholders relating to the Prudential Staff Pension and Scottish Amicable Pension Schemes are determined as shown below:

2007 2006
£m £m
IFRS basis surplus (relating to shareholder-backed operations) 98 19
Additional EEV surplus (relating to shareholders’ 10 per cent share of the IFRS basis surplus (deficit) attributable to the PAC
with-profits fund) 31 6
EEV basis 129 25

iv Net core structural borrowings of shareholder-financed operations comprise:

IFRS basis
2007
£m
Mark to market value adjustment £m EEV basis
2007
£m
IFRS basis
2006
£m
Mark to market value adjustment 2006
£m
EEV
basis
2006
£m
Holding company* cash and short-term investments 1,456 1,456 1,119 1,119
Core structural borrowings – central funds (at market value) (2,367) 38 (2,329) (2,485) (176) (2,661)
Holding company net borrowings (911) 38 (873) (1,366) (176) (1,542)
Core structural borrowings – Jackson (at market value) (125) (22) (147) (127) (31) (158)
(1,036) 16 (1,020) (1,493) (207) (1,700)

*Including central finance subsidiaries.

In accordance with the EEV Principles, core borrowings are carried at market value.

v In determining the cost of capital for Jackson, it has been assumed that an amount at least equal to 235 per cent of the risk-based capital required by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) at the Company Action Level must be retained. The impact of the related capital charge is to reduce Jackson’s shareholders’ funds by £84 million (2006: £117 million).

vi The proportion of surplus allocated to shareholders from the UK with-profits business has been based on the present level of 10 per cent. Future bonus rates have been set at levels which would fully utilise the assets of the with-profits fund over the lifetime of the business in force.

vii UK long-term business smoothed shareholders’ funds reflect an adjustment to the assets of the PAC with-profits fund, for the purposes of determining the unwind of discount included in operating profits, to remove the short-term volatility in market values of assets. Shareholders’ funds in the balance sheet are determined on an unsmoothed basis.

viii On 1 May 2007, the Company sold Egg.

Page 326

16 Reconciliation of movement in shareholders’ funds

Download as excel file
2007 £m
Long-term business operations Total
UK long-term
Asian US insurance business Other Group
operations operations operations operations operations total
Operating profit from continuing operations
(based on longer-term investment returns)
Long-term business:
New business5  653 285 277 1,215 1,215
Business in force6  393 342 582 1,317 1,317
1,046 627 859 2,532 2,532
Asia development expenses (15) (15) (15)
M&G 254 254
Asian asset management operations 72 72
US broker-dealer and asset management 13 13
Curian (5) (5)
Other income and expenditure (289) (289)
Restructuring costs8  (8) (8) (12) (20)
Operating profit from continuing operations based on longer-term
investment returns 1,031 627 851 2,509 33 2,542
Short-term fluctuations in investment returns9  226 (9) (42) 175 (1) 174
Mark to market value movements on core borrowings10  9 9 214 223
Shareholders’ share of actuarial gains and losses on defined benefit
pension schemes11  116 116
Effect of changes in economic assumptions and time
value of cost of options and guarantees12  210 89 449 748 748
Profit from continuing operations before tax
(including actual investment returns) 1,467 716 1,258 3,441 362 3,803
Tax (charge) credit attributable to shareholders’ profit:13 
Tax on operating profit (252) (197) (236) (685) (9) (694)
Tax on short-term fluctuations in investment returns (43) 3 12 (28) 6 (22)
Tax on shareholders’ share of actuarial gains and losses on defined
benefit pension schemes (32) (32)
Tax on effect of changes in economic assumptions and time value
of cost of options and guarantees (56) (31) (126) (213) (213)
Total tax charge (351) (225) (350) (926) (35) (961)
Discontinued operations, net of tax 241 241
Minority interests (15) (1) (16) (5) (21)
Profit for the year 1,101 491 907 2,499 563 3,062
Unrealised valuation movements on Egg securities classified as
available-for-sale (2) (2)
Movement on cash flow hedges (3) (3)
Exchange movementsnote i  80 (53) 27 37 64
Related tax 3 3
Intra group dividends (including statutory transfer) (98) (123) (286) (507) 507
External dividends (426) (426)
Reserve movements in respect of share-based payments 18 18
Investment in operationsnote ii  103 95 198 (198)
Other transfersnote iv  (8) 0 (32) (40) 40
Movement in own shares in respect of share-based payment plans 7 7
Movement on Prudential plc shares purchased by unit trusts
consolidated under IFRS 4 4
New share capital subscribed 182 182
Mark to market value movements on Jackson assets
backing surplus and required capital (13) (13) (13)
Net increase in shareholders’ equity 1,178 302 684 2,164 732 2,896
Shareholders’ equity at 1 January 2007 2,548 3,303 5,813 11,664 219 11,883
Shareholders’ equity at 31 December 2007 notes iii,15  3,726 3,605 6,497 13,828 951 14,779
Page 327

Notes

i Profits are translated at average exchange rates, consistent with the method applied for statutory IFRS basis results. The amounts recorded above for exchange rate movements reflect the difference between 2006 and 2007 exchange rates as applied to shareholders’ funds at 1 January 2007 and the difference between 31 December 2007 and average 2007 rates for profits.

ii Investment in operations reflects increases in share capital. This includes certain non-cash items as a result of timing differences.

iii For the purposes of the table above, goodwill related to Asia long-term operations (as shown in note 15) is included in Other operations.

iv Other transfers (from) to long-term business operations to other operations represent:

Asian
operations
£m
US
operations
£m
UK
insurance
operations
£m
Total
long-term
business
operations
£m
Adjustment for net of tax asset management projected profits of covered business (9) (2) (16) (27)
Adjustment for investment return, net of related tax, on economic capital for Taiwan
operations held centrally (3) (3)
Other adjustments 4 2 (16) (10)
(8) 0 (32) (40)

Long-term business operations Total
long-term
business
operations
£m
Other
operations
£m
Group
total
£m
EEV basis shareholders’ equity at 31 December 2007 Asian
operations
£m
US
operations
£m
UK
insurance
operations
£m
Analysed as:
Statutory IFRS basis shareholders’ equity 1,258 2,690 1,364 5,312 889 6,201
Additional retained profit on an EEV basis 2,468 915 5,133 8,516 62 8,578
EEV basis shareholders’ equity at
31 December 2007 3,726 3,605 6,497 13,828 951 14,779
Comprising:
Free surplus 49 1,147 272 1,468
Required capital 907 1,072 891 2,870
Value of in-force business before deduction
of cost of capital and of guarantees 3,245 1,612 5,641 10,498
Cost of capital (472) (84) (251) (807)
Cost of time value of guarantees (3) (142) (56) (201)
3,726 3,605 6,497 13,828

Long-term business operations Total
long-term
business
operations
£m
Other
operations
£m
Group
total
£m
EEV basis shareholders’ equity at 1 January 2007 Asian
operations
£m
US
operations
£m
UK
insurance
operations
£m
Analysed as:
Statutory IFRS basis shareholders’ equity 1,176 2,656 1,263 5,095 393 5,488
Additional retained profit on an EEV basis 1,372 647 4,550 6,569 (174) 6,395
EEV basis shareholders’ equity at
1 January 2007 2,548 3,303 5,813 11,664 219 11,883
Comprising:
Free surplus 49 1,147 272 1,468
Required capital 907 1,072 891 2,870
Value of in-force business before deduction
of cost of capital and of guarantees 2,156 1,578 5,129 8,863
Cost of capital (521) (117) (254) (892)
Cost of time value of guarantees (7) (141) (40) (188)
2,548 3,303 5,813 11,664

Page 328

17 Reconciliation of net worth and value of in-force business

2007 £m
Value of
Free Total net in-force Total
Reconciliation of net worth and value of in-force business for 2007note i  surplus Required worth business long-term
note vii capital note iv note viii business
Shareholders’ equity at 1 January 2007note ix  1,015 2,866 3,881 7,783 11,664
New business contributionnotes ii,iii  (544) 308 (236) 1,101 865
Existing business – transfer to net worthnote v  963 (225) 738 (738) 0
Other movementsnote vi 
Expected return on existing businessnote vi  99 48 147 706 853
Changes in operating assumptions and experience
variancesnote vi  89 (24) 65 41 106
Changes in non-operating assumptions and experience
variances and minority interestsnote vi  136 (77) 59 616 675
324 (53) 271 1,363 1,634
Profit for the year from long-term business operations 743 30 773 1,726 2,499
Exchange movements 9 (26) (17) 44 27
Intra-group dividends (including statutory transfer) and
investment in operations (246) (246) (63) (309)
Mark to market value movements on Jackson assets backing
surplus and required capital (13) (13) (13)
Other transfers from net worthnote x  (40) (40) (40)
Shareholders’ equity at 31 December 2007note ix  1,468 2,870 4,338 9,490 13,828

Notes

i All figures are shown net of tax.

ii The movements arising from new business contribution are as follows:

2007
note iii 2006
£m £m
Free surplus (544) (554)
Required capital 308 383
Total net worth (236) (171)
Value of in-force business 1,101 898
Total long-term business 5  865 727

iii The new business contribution arises as follows:

Value of
Free Total net in-force Total
surplus Required worth business long-term
note vii capital note iv note vii business
£m £m £m £m £m
Asian operations (194) 21 (173) 653 480
US operations (200) 183 (17) 202 185
UK insurance operations (150) 104 (46) 246 200
(544) 308 (236) 1,101 865

iv Net worth is based on statutory solvency capital (or economic capital where higher) and unencumbered capital.

v Existing business transfer to net worth

Value of
Free Total net in-force Total
surplus Required worth business long-term
note vii capital note iv note vii business
£m £m £m £m £m
Asian operations 216 (27) 189 (189) 0
US operations 326 (178) 148 (148) 0
UK insurance operations 421 (20) 401 (401) 0
963 (225) 738 (738) 0

Page 329

vi Other movements

Value of
Free Total net in-force Total
surplus Required worth business long-term
note vii capital note iv note vii business
£m £m £m £m £m
Asian operations
Expected return on existing business 28 9 37 231 268
Changes in operating assumptions and experience variances (61) 2 (59) 90 31
Changes in non-operating assumptions and experience variances and
minority interests 83 (52) 31 291 322
50 (41) 9 612 621
US operations
Expected return on existing business 34 40 74 82 156
Changes in operating assumptions and experience variances 194 (28) 166 (77) 89
Changes in non-operating assumptions and experience variances and
minority interests 32 0 32 29 61
260 12 272 34 306
UK insurance operations
Expected return on existing business 37 (1) 36 393 429
Changes in operating assumptions and experience variances (44) 2 (42) 28 (14)
Changes in non-operating assumptions and experience variances and
minority interests 21 (25) (4) 296 292
14 (24) (10) 717 707
Total long-term business
Expected return on existing business 99 48 147 706 853
Changes in operating assumptions and experience variances 89 (24) 65 41 106
Changes in non-operating assumptions and experience variances and
minority interests 136 (77) 59 616 675
324 (53) 271 1,363 1,634

vii Movements in free surplus arising from profit for the year from long-term business operations are as follows:

Cost of acquiring new business
note iii
£m
Total in-force transfer to net worth
note v
£m
Other movements
note vi
£m
Increase in free surplus profit in the year
£m
Asian operations (194) 216 50 72
US operations (200) 326 260 386
UK insurance operations (150) 421 14 285
(544) 963 324 743

viii Value of in-force business includes the value of future margins from current in-force business less the cost of holding encumbered capital.

ix Included in the EEV basis shareholders’ funds of long-term business operations of £13,828 million (2006: £11,664 million) is £349 million (2006: £257 million) in respect of asset management business falling within the scope of covered business as follows:

2007 2006
£m £m
Asian operations 204 120
US operations 12 12
UK insurance operations 133 125
349 257

x Other transfers from net worth

2007
16iv
£m
Adjustment for net of tax asset management projected profits of covered business (27)
Adjustment for investment return, net of related tax, on economic capital for Taiwan operations held centrally (3)
Other adjustments (10)
(40)
Page 330

18 Sensitivity of results to alternative assumptions

a Sensitivity analysis – economic assumptions

The tables below show the sensitivity of the embedded value as at 31 December 2007 (31 December 2006) and the new business contribution after the effect of encumbered capital for 2007 and 2006 to:

— One per cent increase in the discount rates;

— one per cent increase and decrease in interest rates, including all consequential changes (assumed investment returns for all asset classes, market values of fixed interest assets, risk discount rates);

— one per cent rise in equity and property yields;

— 10 per cent fall in market value of equity and property assets (not applicable for new business contribution); and

— holding company statutory minimum capital (by contrast to economic capital).

In each sensitivity calculation, all other assumptions remain unchanged except where they are directly affected by the revised economic conditions.

Download as excel file
2007 £m
Asian
operations
US
operations
UK
insurance
operations
Total
long-term
business
operations
New business profit for 2007
As reported5  653 285 277 1,215
Discount rates – 1% increase (77) (29) (36) (142)
Interest rates – 1% increase (16) 5 (5) (16)
Interest rates – 1% decrease 13 (18) 5 0
Equity/property yields – 1% rise 33 30 15 78
Embedded value of long-term operations at 31 December 2007
As reported16  3,726 3,605 6,497 13,828
Discount rates – 1% increase (386) (129) (534) (1,049)
Interest rates – 1% increasenote i  (29) (120) (95) (244)
Interest rates – 1% decreasenote i  2 17 113 132
Equity/property yields – 1% rise 234 58 405 697
Equity/property market values – 10% fall (136) (63) (519) (718)
Statutory minimum capital 315 59 8 382
2006 £m
Asian
operations
US
operations
UK
insurance
operations
Total
long-term
business
operations
New business profit for 2006
As reported5  514 259 266 1,039
Discount rates – 1% increase (56) (28) (46) (130)
Interest rates – 1% increase (9) 3 4 (2)
Interest rates – 1% decrease 7 (17) (11) (21)
Equity/property yields – 1% rise 23 28 16 67
Embedded value of long-term operations at 31 December 2006
As reported16  2,548 3,303 5,813 11,664
Discount rates – 1% increase (271) (127) (480) (878)
Interest rates – 1% increasenotes i,ii  42 (190) (66) (214)
Interest rates – 1% decreasenotes i,ii  (115) 116 69 70
Equity/property yields – 1% rise 154 46 382 582
Equity/property market values – 10% fall (99) (58) (502) (659)
Statutory minimum capital 391 82 8 481
Page 331

Notes

i Asian operations

Embedded
value of Interest rates
long-term 1% 1%
operations increase decrease
2007 £m £m £m
Asian operations
Established markets 2,704 (77) 83
Taiwan* (12) 67 (91)
Korea 304 (7) 7
Vietnam 234 (5) 5
Other 496 (7) (2)
3,726 (29) 2

*Taiwan sensitivity to starting bond rate (i.e. the starting bond rate for the progression to the assumed long-term rate):

Embedded value at
31 Dec 2007
£m
1%
increase in the starting bond rate
£m
1%
decrease in the starting bond rate
£m
Taiwan (12) 73 (57)

If it had been assumed in preparing the 2007 results for Taiwan that interest rates remained at the current level of around 2.5 per cent until 31 December 2008 and the progression period in bond yields was delayed by a year so as to end on 31 December 2014, there would have been a reduction in the Taiwan embedded value of £70 million.

Embedded
value of Interest rates
long-term 1% 1%
operations increase decrease
2006 £m £m £m
Asian operations
Established markets 2,039 (55) 45
Taiwan* (216) 107 (165)
Korea 191 (5) 5
Vietnam 198 (1) 1
Other 336 (4) (1)
2,548 42 (115)

*Taiwan sensitivity to starting bond rate (i.e. the starting bond rate for the progression to the assumed long-term rate):

Embedded value at
31 Dec 2006
£m
1%
increase in the starting bond rate
£m
1%
decrease in the starting bond rate
£m
Taiwan (216) 116 (125)

ii UK insurance operations

2006 comparatives for the sensitivity to interest rate changes have been adjusted from previously published data for the effect of revisions to the calculation for the with-profits fund.

Page 332

b Sensitivity analysis – non-economic assumptions

The tables below show the sensitivity of the embedded value as at 31 December 2007 (31 December 2006) and the new business contribution after the effect of encumbered capital for 2007 and 2006 to:

— 10 per cent proportionate decrease in maintenance expenses (a 10 per cent sensitivity on a base assumption of £10 per annum would represent an expense assumption of £9 per annum);

— 10 per cent proportionate decrease in lapse rates (a 10 per cent sensitivity on a base assumption of five per cent would represent a lapse rate of 4.5 per cent per annum); and

— five per cent proportionate decrease in base mortality and morbidity rates (i.e. increased longevity).

2007 £m
Asian
operations
US
operations
UK
insurance
operations
Total
long-term
business
operations
New business profit for 2007
As reported5  653 285 277 1,215
Maintenance expenses – 10% decrease 20 6 8 34
Lapse rates – 10% decrease 62 19 8 89
Mortality and morbidity – 5% decrease 21 4 (14) 11
Change representing effect on:
Life business 21 4 0 25
Annuity business 0 0 (14) (14)
Embedded value of long-term operations at 31 December 2007
As reported16  3,726 3,605 6,497 13,828
Maintenance expenses – 10% decrease 54 30 36 120
Lapse rates – 10% decrease 142 123 87 352
Mortality and morbidity – 5% decrease 98 74 (103) 69
Change representing effect on:
Life business 98 74 9 181
Annuity business 0 0 (112) (112)

2006 £m
Asian
operations
US
operations
UK
insurance
operations
Total
long-term
business
operations
New business profit for 2006
As reported5  514 259 266 1,039
Maintenance expenses – 10% decrease 13 6 10 29
Lapse rates – 10% decrease 42 21 8 71
Mortality and morbidity – 5% decrease 14 6 (27) (7)
Change representing effect on:
Life business 14 6 1 21
Annuity business 0 0 (28) (28)
Embedded value of long-term operations at 31 December 2006
As reported16  2,548 3,303 5,813 11,664
Maintenance expenses – 10% decrease 45 32 33 110
Lapse rates – 10% decrease 93 110 75 278
Mortality and morbidity – 5% decrease 77 75 (87) 65
Change representing effect on:
Life business 77 75 7 159
Annuity business 0 0 (94) (94)