The week's winners
The week's losers
Wellington Underwriting was the name on people's lips last week as it shot into the news by wooing top venture capitalists to invest in insurance.
Its share price followed suit, demonstrating that having an eye for the actions of smaller quoted insurers can reap spectacular dividends.
Only a few weeks ago, the Lloyd's-based insurer was watching its share price plummet. At the end of last month, it was forced to increase its estimates of losses from the World Trade Centre and then its syndicate 2020 was downgraded by Moody's. By 13 November, the company's stock had fallen below 74p.
But then the turnaround started. While smaller investors would have been gazing wistfully at the share price, it later turned out a few canny venture capitalists were thinking about getting in on the game.
By the time the company announced last week it was being weighed up by leading private equity houses such as 3i and Phoenix Private Equity, Wellington's shares were looking much healthier.
On Friday of last week, the stock gained nearly 11% and the rise continued after the weekend. By late afternoon on Monday, it was up another 7%, staying above 96p.
Wellington attracted the interest of venture capitalists by planning a new reinsurance vehicle.
Standard & Poor's insurance analyst Dominic Skeet said the rising share price showed more than stock market investors' willingness to follow in the footsteps of private equity.
Establishing a new company would allow Wellington to sell to customers wanting to place cover with a company rather than at Lloyd's.
Skeet said: "Look at Hiscox, XL and Ace and the other Lloyd's vehicles. They've got the option of going through the companies' market.
"It's a good time, given all the business they believe they can write, for them to have a choice of where they can write that business."
Venture capitalists want to put money into insurers because of the rising rates since 11 September. But it may be wise to remember our industry has to pay out the largest losses in its history.
HSBC analyst David Hudson cautioned some insurers could need money to help pay their claims before they can even start thinking about jumping on the bandwagon of rocketing rates.
Hudson said: "It's all very well and good focusing on rates going up. But how much of what we are seeing now is to raise money to take advantage and how much is to pay claims?"
