Aviva plc

British insurer Aviva plans to become a net zero carbon emissions company by 2040, it said on Monday, claiming this was the most demanding target set by any major insurer worldwide.

Aviva has agreed the sale of its operations in France for 3.2 billion euros ($3.89 billion) to Macif's Aéma Groupe, as part of the British insurer's shift to focus on its core operations in Britain, Ireland and Canada.

Aviva Investors said on Monday it could ditch its stock and bond holdings in 30 of the world's biggest corporate emitters of carbon if their boards failed to take sufficient action over climate change.

British insurer Aviva PLC is selling its Vietnamese business to Canadian insurer ManuLife Financial Corp, it said on Monday, as it pushes ahead with plans to pull out from its non-core markets.

Aviva is weighing a piecemeal sale of its Italian business which consists of two joint venture agreements focused on life insurance as well as general insurance policies handled by a network of agents, sources familiar with the matter said.

A consortium of German insurer Allianz and life insurer Athora Holding is in advanced talks to buy Aviva's French operations in a deal worth between 2 and 3 billion euros ($2.3-$3.5 billion), sources close to the matter said.

A consortium of German insurer Allianz and private equity-backed life insurer Athora Holding is in advanced talks to take on Aviva's French operations in a deal worth 2 billion to 3 billion euros ($3.49 billion), sources close to the matter said.

* First-half profit down 12% but ahead of forecasts (Adds recent sale of Indonesia, updates shares)

British life insurer Phoenix said on Tuesday it was expanding its business open to new customers with the appointment of Aviva's Tom Ground to lead Retirement Services.

Aviva named independent director and former Zurich Insurance executive Amanda Blanc as its new chief executive on Monday who immediately signalled a potential strategy overhaul, sending the British insurer's shares up.

Aviva Plc on Tuesday appointed Amanda Blanc, the first woman to be appointed as chair of the Association of British Insurers in 2018, as an independent non-executive director, with effect from Jan. 2.

England's High Court on Tuesday gave Aviva, Britain’s second largest insurer, approval to transfer around 9 billion pounds ($11.69 billion) in assets to a new Irish company just before the starting gun is fired on Brexit.

Two insiders are favourites to be the next CEO of Aviva according to sources, potentially disappointing some expectations for a major strategic re-think at Britain's second biggest insurer.