RUSSIA - Russian state pensions for 2007 have been increased by 15.4% despite the fact the Russian Pension Fund (RPF) is experiencing significant funding troubles.

UK - Paternoster has secured its 10th buy-out deal after taking on the Chartered Accountants' Employees Superannuation Scheme in a deal worth "between £10m-£50m".

JUST over 20pc of employers feel they can afford the buyout cost of providing deferred annuities to all members, research shows.

UK - The Pensions Regulator has issued a discussion paper and draft guidance to help pension scheme trustees identify deals that would lead to sponsoring employers abandoning their pension plans.

CANADA - The Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec and government financial institution BDC have set up a second C$330m (US$285m) fund for Canadian SMEs called AlterInvest.

THE £12bn Mineworkers' Pension Scheme has appointed Vivien Cockerill as a trustee director.

SCHEMES could get cut-price buyout deals as private equity-backed new players rush to build up "critical mass" ahead of a flotation, Watson Wyatt believes.

ROWANMOOR Pensions has signed a three year contract with ADS Portal, a privately held subscription based computing provider, to put in place an online desktop solution for its staff.

GLOBAL - Demand for low-risk long-only mandates would see a "meaningful decline" if pension funds rushed into unconstrained an absolute return investments, according to Watson Wyatt.

FIRMS are being warned to rein in pension contributions or risk having irrecoverable surpluses in their schemes.