UK - F&C Asset Management has disclosed a drop in its Q1 institutional fund figures to the London Stock Exchange.

US - A retired former employee of Fremont General Corp has sought to bring a class action lawsuit against the company in order to recover "millions" of lost pension fund dollars.

US - Democrats in Alaska have stepped up campaigns to reinstate defined benefit (DB) pensions to public sector workers two years after state legislation converted public schemes to defined contribution (DC).

THE INSTITUTE of Chartered Accountants of Scotland has issued guidance to help trustees with their decision making process.

Interest rates near restrictive level; Browder raises $625m to broaden share activism; ABN shareholders attack board; Upbeat L&G's sales miss estimates

EUROPE - The Dutch Association of Pension funds (UVB) and the Slovak Association of Pension Funds (ADSS) have become members of the European Federation for Retirement Provision (EFRP).

MEXICO - The Mexican Congress has approved controversial changes to the health and pension system for 2.8m government workers.

AUSTRALIA - Thomas Murray, the specialist custodial rating, advisory and monitoring consultancy, has hired Karen Bignell as business manager for its first Australian office.

THE PENSIONS Regulator has published findings of its consultation into defined contribution scheme regulation along with a discussion paper on governance.

INDEPENDENT Myners compliance reviews should become best practice in order to force trustees to think more about the principles, financial services giant PricewaterhouseCoopers says.