THE PENSIONS Archive Trust has appointed Merrill Lynch International Bank vice-president Yally Avrahampour as a director.

CHINA - Institutional investors have committed US$382m into a fund to invest in technology that extracts methane gas from coal mines in China and uses it to generate electricity.

THE GOVERNMENT should fund the Financial Assistance Scheme to Pension Protection Fund levels, managers believe.

Pension Scheme of the Year Awards' judges have drawn up shortlists for another three categories.

SWEDEN - The seventh AP fund has reported a return of 9.6% for its main fund and 11.8% on its subsidiary portfolio, according to new figures revealed in its half yearly report.

THE WARWICKSHIRE Pension Fund has joined the Local Authority Pension Fund Forum - taking its membership to 43 funds.

FOUR Capital Partners is set to launch a long/short UK equity fund for UK schemes in the fourth quarter this year, PP can reveal.

THOUSANDS of employees are "sleepwalking into an uncertain future" because of a lack of retirement planning, The Pensions Advisory Service has warned.

FINLAND - Two large pension insurance companies have become major investors in chemicals group, Kemira Oyj, after the state sold its shares in the firm.

AN AGREEMENT over new pension arrangements for NHS staff is expected to be signed off next week.