AIG says potential derivatives loss not material

(Reuters) - American International Group Inc (AIG.N: Quote, Profile, Research) on Tuesday moved to calm investors shaken by its earlier disclosure that derivatives losses could more than triple to about $5 billion, a development that earned it a rebuke from its auditor for a "material weakness" in internal controls.

AIG, the world's largest insurer, said in a statement on Tuesday that the size of any write-down was not expected to be material to the company.

AIG shares gained 4 percent to $46.60, after falling nearly 12 percent on Monday to the stock's lowest level in five years.

Investors pushed the shares down on Monday, after AIG disclosed in a regulatory filing that its mark-to-market unrealized losses on a credit default swap portfolio within its AIG Financial Products unit were expected to be about $4.88 billion through November, compared with an earlier indication of a loss of up to $1.5 billion.

The loss could wipe out AIG's fourth-quarter earnings, some analysts said.

AIG, which is expected to release quarterly results later this month, has not yet disclosed whether it saw further deterioration in December.

"The valuation adjustment as of December 31, 2007, is likely to be significant, and will likely cause AIG to report an accounting loss for the quarter," S&P credit analyst Rodney Clark said.

 

Read more at Reuters