EARNINGS TURNAROUND: The latest earnings report from Allstate Corp. shows much improvement in the property and casualty insurer's investment portfolio, reversing a steep year-ago loss. Allstate earned $518 million. That compares with a loss of $1.13 billion in the fourth quarter of 2008.

KEY NUMBER: Net realized capital losses for the period, before taxes, totaled $33 million, much smaller than the $1.93 billion loss in the fourth quarter of 2008.

IN CONTEXT: CEO Tom Wilson said "substantially better" markets aided the improvement, as the company also took a proactive approach to risk management. Both factors helped improved the value of Allstate's investment portfolio.