US - AT&T has reached a tentative three-year agreement with the Communications Workers of America, which increases pension and pay bands for around 7,000 employees around the country.

UK/CANADA - Nomura has secured a six-year rent holiday after signing a 20 year lease in a new office development owned by Oxford Properties Group, a subsidiary of the Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System (Omers).

Fujitsu workers have voted to take industrial action against a proposal to close their final salary pension scheme and impose a pay freeze, Unite says.

GLOBAL - The average assets to gross domestic product ratio for OECD pension funds dropped from 75.5% of GDP in 2007 to 63.4% in 2008, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

US - Nine securities and corporate governance law firms have signed a letter to the Securities and Exchange Commission supporting its proposal to ensure shareholder rights following a similar move by some US pension funds.

DENMARK - The Danish pension fund ATP has reduced its total CO2 emissions output by 7.4% or 202 tons from 2007 to 2008, according to its first climate report.

Potential loss of means-tested benefits for 5% of personal accounts savers is "unacceptable" but must not overshadow the positive aspects of auto-enrolment, B&CE Benefit Schemes says.

NETHERLANDS - The National Federation of Christian Trade Unions in the Netherlands (CNV) continues to oppose the government's proposed pension age increase, refuting local media claims that it has stopped negotiations.

UK - The Universities Superannuation Scheme has appointed UBS Global Asset Management - Fund Services to deliver hedge fund of funds administration services.

Costain is considering closing its defined benefit pension scheme to future accrual due to increasingly disproportionate risks and costs.