Swedish pension provider Skandia’s traditional life portfolio delivered a 5.4 per cent return during the first half of 2026, as assets under management continued to grow.

Total assets under management in Skandia’s life company increased to SEK 655bn at the end of June 2026, up from SEK 630bn at the start of the year.

Assets in the traditional life portfolio rose to SEK 643bn, compared with SEK 618bn at year-end.

Skandia said all asset classes contributed positively to performance during the first half of the year, with listed equities the strongest contributor, returning 14.9 per cent.

Swedish equities gained 10 per cent, while foreign equities increased by 19.2 per cent.

Emerging market equities recorded the strongest growth, rising by more than 32 per cent during the period, while private equity investments returned 6.5 per cent.

Fixed income assets delivered a 1.5 per cent return, with real estate and infrastructure also performing positively.

The provider’s collective consolidation ratio increased to 109 per cent from 106 per cent at the end of 2025, while the solvency ratio of the life company rose from 208 per cent to 213 per cent.

The insurer’s group premiums amounted to SEK 24.4bn during the first half of 2026, compared with SEK 24bn in the same period a year earlier, while group assets under management increased to SEK 936bn from SEK 889bn at year-end.

Commenting on the results, Skandia group CEO and president, Frans Lindelöw, said: “Financial markets performed well during the second quarter of the year, driven by optimism around reduced geopolitical uncertainty, significant artificial intelligence (AI) investments and rising profits among listed companies.”

He also detailed the provider’s climate- and environment-related investments, such as a SEK 360m investment linked to Sydvatten’s green and blue bond framework, providing financing for projects related to climate adaptation and sustainable water management in southern Sweden.

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