MILLIONS of people of low incomes - including many women - could gain little from saving into personal accounts as mean tested benefits would be slashed, the Equal Opportunities Commission warns.

MILLIONS of scheme members have never reviewed their pension plans - risking a "serious shortfall" on retirement, research from Baring Asset Management reveals.

SOUTH KOREA - Support for the state national pension plan has reportedly plummeted after several government institutions switched to alternative private plans.

ABBEY Financial Markets has appointed Hemal Popat and Martin Collins to its life and pension solutions team.

GLOBAL - MSCI Barra's new plans for the transition of two global equity indices have been slammed by HSBC and competitor FTSE as costly for fund managers and a step back for the provider.

US - The New York City comptroller's office and the New York City (NYC) Pension Funds have joined forces to encourage businesses to review their links with Sudan.

GERMANY - German asset managers face increasingly intense competition, as foreign asset managers seek to take advantage of opportunities created by regulatory changes, according to a report by Fitch Ratings.

Boots pension fund seeks MP's support; Working days lost to strikes soar; Private equity checks for banks; There are the rich and the very rich. Now meet the private equity kings

UK - Abbey Financial Markets, the UK investment banking arm of the Santander Group, has appointed two former Watson Wyatt consultants as part of its drive to become a major player in the pensions market.

SGAM Alternative Investments has received official authorisation of its equity fund - offering schemes access to premium hedge fund specialists managing long-only or long-biased equity investment strategies.