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Munich Re : issues profit warning on Japan catastrophe

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Munich Re warned Wednesday it would post a loss for the first quarter because  of Japan’s massive earthquake and tsunami in March.

Munich Re said natural catastrophes, mainly the devastating Japanese quake,  will cost it 2.7 billion euros ($3.91 billion) in the first quarter, up on its  previous estimate of 2.5 billion euros.

“Because of the damage caused by these natural disasters, first quarter  results will clearly be negative,” company head Nikolaus von Bomhard said in a  statement.

Last month, the company had warned that the deadly Christchurch earthquake  in New Zealand on February 22 would cost it about $1.0 billion.

Munich Re stuck to its 2011 net profit target of around 2.4 billion euros  at that time but warned that “it will only be able to achieve this target if  random major losses remain below the average level to be expected in the  further course of the year.”

The company will announce its first quarter results on May 9.

Frankfurt, April 20, 2011 (AFP)

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