US - The California State Teachers' Retirement System (CalSTRS) is searching for an investment consultant to advise the scheme's investment committee.

IRELAND - The average Irish managed pension fund returned 11.7% in the quarter ending September 30, but recent gains weren't enough to wipe out negative returns over the past year.

FRANCE - Fonds de Réserve pour les Retraites (FRR) has created an investment strategy committee that will help design, implement and monitor the scheme's asset allocation.

UK - Companies have continued to increase contributions to DC schemes despite the recession, a survey by Mercer revealed.

UK/US - Local authority pension schemes could be losing out on £125m (US$198.9m) by failing to participate in US class action lawsuits, research by Goal Group revealed.

Credit Suisse Group AG, which sold its Japanese asset management unit in June, will offer alternative investments including private-equity funds to attract the nation's US$800bn in pension money.

Local authority pension schemes could be losing out on £125m by failing to participate in US class action lawsuits, research by Goal Group, reveals.

US - Company officials and pension experts called for Congress to enact additional pension funding relief measures at a Ways and Means Committee hearing yesterday.

UK - Google, US - CalPERS, US - Nebraska Investment Council

NEW ZEALAND - The New Zealand Superannuation Fund said it plans to increase its exposure to private equity and real estate in the coming years, and that it spent the last year refining its manager selection process.