Pru cheers with-profits policyholders - papers 21st Feb

The insurer said its £85bn with-profits fund, in which 4.4 million people have their savings and investment cash, delivered an "exceptionally strong" performance in 2006. It notched up a return of 12.4% before tax last year, with the total return over five years standing at 64%, says the paper. As a result, the company is adding £2.5bn to policy values in respect of 2006, and most customers will see their policy values increase by more than 10%. It reassured those homeowners relying on its policies to pay off their home loans that all Prudential mortgage endowments and an estimated 96...