Markel's primary business is property and casualty insurance. The company focuses primarily on specialty lines, ranging from areas such as executive liability to commercial equine insurance. The acquisition of Alterra in 2013 added substantial reinsurance operations, which now account for a little over 10% of premiums. The company uses capital generated by its insurance operations to buy noninsurance operations in diverse areas, such as bakery equipment manufacturing and residential homebuilding.

Markel's primary business is property and casualty insurance. The company focuses primarily on specialty lines, ranging from areas such as executive liability to commercial equine insurance. The acquisition of Alterra in 2013 added substantial reinsurance operations, which now account for a little over 10% of premiums. The company uses capital generated by its insurance operations to buy noninsurance operations in diverse areas, such as bakery equipment manufacturing and residential homebuilding.

Based in Glen Allen, Virginia, and established in 1930, Markel Group Inc. is a specialty insurance company. Through Markel Ventures, the company invests in various industrial and service businesses that operate separately from its insurance business. Markel has 18,900 employees.

The war with Iran enters its sixth week. As well, major new inflation data is due out this week and earnings season is just ahead, with banks starting to report on April 14. Last week, the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 1%, while the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq both rose 2%. Year to date, all three indices are showing losses, with the Dow, down 3%, the S&P lower by 4%, and the Nasdaq off by 6%. On the earnings calendar, there are a few scattered reports this week. Levi Strauss reports on Tuesday; and Shell, Delta Air Lines, and Constellation Brands on Wednesday. The new earnings season unofficially kicks off on April 14, when several of the country's big banks report. On the economic calendar, new data on Durable Goods Orders is due on Tuesday; the minutes from the Fed's May rate meeting on Wednesday; Personal Consumption Expenditures (inflation) and the final revision of GDP on Thursday; and the Consumer Price Index (more on inflation) on Friday. The timing of the inflation data is off plan. PCE will reflect February data while CPI will represent March. The impact of the war in Iran is starting to show up in economic forecasts. Gas prices jumped another three cents and are at an average of $3.99 per gallon for regular gas. The Atlanta Fed GDPNow now forecasts 1.6% growth for 1Q, down from 3.0% a few weeks ago. The Cleveland Fed Inflation Nowcast forecasts 3.3% for April, about even with the March forecast. Mortgage rates have made another big move higher, up eight basis points last week, with the average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage now at 6.46%, according to FreddieMac. The next Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting is on April 29. Odds have pivoted from a rate cut to a rate hike, though they are low at 1% (suggesting no likely move of any kind). President Trump's nominee to be the next Fed chair, Kevin Warsh, is still making his way through the Congressional-approval process. Currently Chair Jerome Powell will remain on the FOMC. Taking a deeper dive into performance so far in 2026, a leading industrialized global stock market index, the ETF EFA, is up 2% year to date. The leading emerging market ETF (EEM) is up 3% year to date. U.S. growth stocks are down 10% year to date looking at ETF IWF, while value stocks (IWD) are up 1%. In other asset classes for the year to date, AGG bonds are down 1%, gold is up 7%, crude oil is up 92%, and Bitcoin is down 23%. The U.S. dollar is up 2%, tracking DXY. The VIX Volatility Index was at about 24 on Friday, above its historical average of 20. Turning to sector performance, the list from first to worst so far in 2026 is Energy (+40%), Utilities (+7%), Materials (+7%), Consumer Staples (+6%), Industrials (+3%), Real Estate (+3%), Healthcare (-7%), Communication Services (-11%), Information Technology (-12%), Consumer Discretionary (-12%), and Financials (-13%). By comparison, the S&P 500 is down 4% year to date.