UK - Trustees and actuaries that are too conservative - such as those who adopt liability driven investments (LDI) strategies - could leave themselves vulnerable to negligence claims, said Reynolds Porter Chamberlain (RPC).

GLOBAL - Funded ratios of defined benefits plans in major global markets have fallen over the third quarter of 2006 with Canada faring the worst with a slide of 4 percentage points, a Towers Perrin market update showed.

CROSS-party support is needed to boost early day motions that call for the restoration of scheme wind-up victims' pensions, campaigners claim.

Too much caution risks negligence claims; High turnover of UK managers; Private equity outbids companies in auctions; Branson prepares for a battle with BSkyB over stake in ITV

US - New York attorney general Eliot Spitzer has filed a lawsuit against Samaritan Asset Management Services and Johnson Capital Management for allegedly engaging in a market timing scheme.

THE GOVERNMENT has ruled out introducing a "compliance window" to help firms implement pension aspects of age discrimination legislation.

SCHEMES should use property securities to diversify their property investments throughout Europe, F&C Asset Management says.

US - The US$15.2bn Public Employees' Retirement Fund (PERF) of Indiana has committed $3.4m to a Real-Estate Opportunities Fund, run by House Investments.

BENELUX - Pioneer Investments has poached Jillert Blom from Putnam Investments to head up its institutional sales in the Benelux region, and announced its intention to open an Amsterdam office in coming months.

EUROPE - Dexia credited steady growth of management and performance fees for the near 30% increase in revenues to e172m from its asset management division during the first nine months of 2006.