PAYDEN & RYGEL has launched a Central and Eastern European equity fund exclusively for pension schemes and other institutional investors.

GLOBAL - Mercer Investment Consulting (Mercer IC) experienced a drop in the number of manager searches it conducted in Europe excluding the UK, as well as in the US, during 2006, but denied any loss of business.

GLOBAL - Global alternative assets managed by the largest 99 pension fund alternatives managers in the world now stand at just under US$600bn, according to Watson Wyatt Investment Consulting.

UK - The London Borough of Enfield has awarded Babcock and Brown a £15m infrastructure mandate.

AXA Investment Managers has won a £550m mandate from the HSBC Bank Pension Trust.

Pensions regulator suggested as arbiter; NAPF to cut private equity charges; BlackRock launches online tool for schemes; Property a favourite with pensions

EMPLOYEES working beyond the age of 65 is set to treble by 2017 in a shift that will pose "significant" risks to firms, Aon Consulting warns.

INCLUDING: UK - Minister speaks about M&A, CANADA - Mountie finance chief steps down, UK - FTSE launches new REIT index

THE PENSIONS Regulator has issued a reminder that the consultation on its discussion paper on scheme governance will close on July 13.

FRANCE - The €31.3bn Fonds de Reserve pour les Retraites (FRR) has launched a search for a new currency manger.