Stockwatch

The week's winners AIG up 3.9% Cox up 3.5%

The week's losersBenfield down 4.7%Windsor down 2.9%Saddam Hussein did insurers a favour when he was captured by US forces in Iraq, sending equity markets up all over the world.It was the brokers that bounced the highest when the FTSE opened, with Benfield, JLT and Windsor all benefiting, the latter also reaping some rewards for its positive 2003 results announced on Monday.Lloyds TSB reported "strong growth" in sales of home insurance in a trading update last week but failed to mention how its broking business was going. These sales had pushed claims for the first nine months up to a slightly higher level than the comparative period of 2002 and creditor insurance premiums held up well in the third quarter, the group said.Brit Insurance Holdings' stock has been heading towards the lower end of its 2003 range this month, perhaps as a result of doubts over its Syndicate 0389, which was downgraded by Standard & Poor's to its lowest assessment of a Lloyd's syndicate (LSA 1pi) from the next notch up (LSA 2pi).Also this week Cooper Gay reported pre-tax profits up by 10% to £8.3m from £7.5m in 2002. The Lloyd's broker will be looking for further growth either by taking on teams or by making acquisitions. Chief executive Toby Esser said its "seamless" integration of its first major investment, German broker Junge & Co, would produce significant opportunities in 2004.THB's pre-tax profits for the six months ending 31 October 2003 dropped to £1.05m from £1.64m for the same period last year. THB said the drop in profit was expected due to the loss of its US openmarket terrorism business and the continued decline of the US dollar.