US - A US court has agreed to release documents Bank of America provided to Congress and investigators to plaintiffs that have brought a class action suit against the firm in regards to its acquisition of Merrill Lynch.

US - Institutional investors in the US could move some US$300bn to $500bn from US large-cap strategies in the next three to five years, a survey by Bank of America Merrill Lynch showed.

US - Strong equity markets helped deliver an 18.3% return in the six months through September 30 at the New York State Common Retirement Fund (CRF), trustee and state comptroller Thomas DiNapoli said.

US - The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp. (PBGC) reported a deficit of US$22bn in the year ended September 30, nearly double the amount reported in the previous year, and officials warned the gap could keep growing.

US - The Public School and Education Employee Retirement Systems of Missouri (PSRS/PEERS) has sued State Street after the bank demanded the scheme return US$4.2bn into its securities lending program.

US - Mercer parent company Marsh & McLennan agreed to a US$400m settlement in a class action suit brought against the firm by Ohio and New Jersey pension funds.

US - The New York Times Co. will freeze its defined benefit plan for non-union employees and management at year-end in a move that will save the company over US$130m, the firm said in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing yesterday.

CANADA - Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec plans to issue C$8bn (US$7.6bn) worth of bonds in Canada, the US and Europe by the end of 2010 as part of a refinancing plan.

CANADA - The Canada Pension Plan Fund reported a 4.6% return in the quarter ending September 30, and a C$7.2bn (US$6.8bn) jump in assets.

US - The California Public Employees' Retirement System will nearly halve its allocation to AllianceBernstein's international bond mandate and PIMCO's high yield mandate in response to market conditions. The pension fund also plans to sell US$8bn in fixed...