FSA due to reveal results of private equity study; Vodafone hits out at plan to double debt; Marks chief gets £3.9m after 'exceptional' year; Tesco to branch out into garden centres

INSURANCE firms are writing "little or no" new business in trust-based pension schemes, research from Xafinity shows.

NETHERLANDS - It has been speculated that Barclays is one of the few remaining companies in the frame to manage the Dutch central bank's pension fund.

TAIWAN - Aegon has established a joint venture with Taishin Financial Holding to launch its life insurance and pensions products in the Taiwanese market.

JOB mobility will decrease as staff increasingly realise the benefits of being in final salary schemes, an investment manager claims.

Regulations crucial to implementing the revamped Local Government Pension Scheme fail to comply with proper practice and are defectively drafted, a parliamentary committee claims.

GLOBAL - A report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has warned that the value of compulsory pension systems will drop by an average of 22% in 16 member states.

JPMORGAN Asset Management has launched two flexible long-only funds for defined benefit and defined contribution schemes.

THE TRADES Union Congress has launched a network of "pensions champions" in a bid to provide workplace advice.

UK - Consultants have questioned Pearl Group's super secretive new buyout product, apparently aimed at leveraged private equity (PE) bids thwarted by pension fund deficits.