Stockwatch

The week's winnersBrit up 10.1%Chaucer up 3.5%

The week's losersMarsh down 8.8%GoshawK down 8.7%Investors looking for inspiration from Warren Buffett were disappointed when the Sage of Omaha was reported this week as saying there was a dearth of opportunities at the moment.He was "not finding anything" on the stock markets, he said, echoing the opinion he voiced earlier this year in Berkshire Hathaway's annual report.He said then: "Despite three years of falling prices, which have significantly improved the attractiveness of common stocks, we still find very few that even mildly interest us."But he believed the tide would turn, bringing more investment opportunities but admitted he did not know when this would happen: "We've got more cash than ideas. The question is whether that will prevail for an unduly long time."After Buffett's wait-and-see attitude to the stock markets, it was reassuring to see investors Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, the private equity firm behind Willis, throwing its weight behind the Bermudian reinsurance industry.It has reportedly brought in Goldman Sachs and Merrill Lynch to handle the flotation of Alea, an outfit whose valuation could be as high as £600m with an IPO before the end of November raising about £160m.Elsewhere, Markel warned investors its third quarter results - due out on Thursday - would be hit by the need to increase reserves by $105m to cover claims in classes including asbestos and environmental losses. After tax net loss for the quarter would be $15m to $20m, it warned.