NEARLY all pension schemes are aiming for funding levels of 100pc of accounting valuations or Pension Protection Fund payout levels, latest research by Hewitt Associates reveals.

JAPAN - Lawmakers have sought to put a lid on the nation's pension data woes by passing a package of reformist bills.

UK - Nicola Ralston, ex-head of global investment consulting at Hewitt, has joined Liability Solutions, forecasting challenging times ahead for traditional consultants.

INCLUDING: US - State Street buys Investors Financial Services Corp, UK - Pension funds in £4bn surplus, GLOBAL - Macquarie Goodman rebrands, UK - LaSalle and PRUPIM launch Asia Property fund.

A MONTHLY index detailing the funding of UK pension schemes is set to be launched by the Pension Protection Fund.

EUROPE - Global Pensions can exclusively reveal that midsize pension funds are flocking to infrastructure via the use of liquid exchange traded funds (ETFS).

THE ASSOCIATION of British Insurers is set to announce a severe warning to Cable & Wireless over its remuneration plans.

UK - The Pension Protection Fund (PPF) will next Monday launch an index to provide monthly updates on the estimated funding positions of 7,800 defined benefit (DB) pension schemes against their PPF liabilities.

Appealing to the pensions referee; New monthly index will show funding levels of 7800 private pension funds; Carlyle poised to make £4.9bn bid for Virgin Media; ABI joins dispute over C&W pay plan

Rapid sales growth of Exchange Traded Funds across Europe has led Barclays Global Investors to create the new role of managing director and head of sales for iShares Europe.