Fed Rescue AIG

On 16 Sept 2008, the U.S. Federal Reserve Bank stepped in to prevent the financial collapse of AIG by announcing its plan to lend the World Largest Insurer US$85 billions in exchange for a 79.9% equity stake.

AIG's top management team including CEO would be replaced. AIG also had a big incentive to embark on a massive asset sale program to pay back the loan with come with a steep interest rate as quickly as possible.

AIG's history dates back to 1919 by when Cornelius Vander Starr established an insurance agency in Shanghai, China to sell insurance to the Chinese. After his business became successful in Asia, he expanded to other markets, including Latin America, Europe, and the Middle East. As today, AIG employs about 116,000 people and operates in more than 130 countries around the world

Its main core business include the Insurance and Finance business, the International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC) which is the world's largest aircraft leasing company, majority stakes in Bulgarian Telecommunications Company, P&O Ports of North America and substanstial stakes in People's Insurance Company of China, Ocean Finance of UK and more other more