IRELAND - The The €17.6bn National Pensions Reserve Fund (NPRF) has committed €241m to five property investment vehicles and €16m to one private equity investment vehicle in the third quarter.

SWITZERLAND - Swiss pension funds feel they do not have any structural shortcomings in terms of their organisational structure, operations or internal governance, according to a Swiss institutional survey.

AXA UK has launched an offer to buy independent financial adviser Thinc Destini in a deal that could value the firm at up to £70m.

NOMURA INTERNATIONAL has launched two new funds linked to Standard and Poor's diversified trends indicator.

GOVERNANCE FOR OWNERS has appointed former Confederation of British Industry president Sir John Egan to its board as an independent non-executive director.

CANADA The C$96bn Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan (OTPP) has called for the share dilution that resulted from certain mergers to require shareholder approval.

ITALY - Pension reforms in the country will be rolled out after the budget, claimed Dario Francheschini, group leader of the governing party Ulivo.

SPAIN - In a speech last week the labour minister, Jesús Caldera, stated the payment of pensions was guaranteed until at least 2036 due to continued surpluses in the social security system.

NETHERLANDS - The frequent changes to the Dutch funding legislation could be a "double-edged sword" for pension funds, according to Colin Pugh, fellow of the Society of Actuaries, UK.

TAIWAN - Pioneer Investments has deepened its Asian focus and opened an office in Taipei, Taiwan.