Handelsbanken Liv's total return for the whole of 2008 was -1.2 percent.

"Naturally we are not happy with this result, but compared to the Stockholm stock exchange's fall of 42 percent, it can be regarded as reasonable. By rapidly reducing the equity exposure in the portfolio during the year, we have resisted the sharp decline," states Snorre Storset, chief executive of Handelsbanken Liv.

  

The investments were broken down as follows, as at 31 December 2008:

Fixed income instruments: 77 percent

Equities: 10 percent

Property: 6 percent

Alternative investments: 7 percent

 

Other key figures and results for Handelsbanken Liv will be presented in conjunction with

Handelsbanken's annual report, to be published on 10 February 2009.