UK - Stephen Haddrill, director general of the Association of British Insurers (ABI), has urged the Government to resist turning to taxpayers to bail out consumers when planned personal accounts are introduced in 2012.

JAPAN - DIAM, the largest Japanese pension fund manager, has scooped a European equities mandate from a Middle-Eastern client for approximately US$250m, and a €42m European equities deal from a German pension fund.

EUROPE - Mercer Human Resource Consulting has revealed it is developing a directly packaged longevity solution which should be available by early 2008.

AUSTRALIA - Ethical and socially responsible investing (SRI) has become the fastest-growing sector in the Australian managed investment market, according to a Watson Wyatt report.

IRELAND - Vanguard has claimed its Irish-based pension pooling fund is the largest Common Contractual Fund (CCF) in the market.

US - Amaranth filed a motion yesterday which could see a fraud claim by San Diego County Employees Retirement Association (SDCERA) thrown out of court.

GREECE - JPMorgan has issued pension fund investors with a 5pm deadline today to consider a proposal to repurchase €280m of structured bonds.

US - A new report has slated Ohio State Teachers' Retirement System (STRS) and warned the organisation faces immense fiscal challenges which must be overhauled.

US - Minneapolis Firefighters Relief Association fund has decided to sue Ceridian Corporation after claiming a buyout offer has undervalued stocks held by the fund in the company.

CANADA - The Ontario Teachers Pension Plan (OTPP) has purchased the New York Container Terminal on Staten Island as part of a US$2.4bn deal.