ROMANIA - Proposals to freeze mandatory second pillar contributions have met with fierce opposition and condemnation from European pension bodies.

GLOBAL - The fallout from the scandal surrounding Bernard L Madoff Investment Securities could affect three million people worldwide, estimates by Spanish law firm Cremades & Calvo Sotelo reveal.

UK - Sales of enhanced annuities rose by almost a third in 2008, Watson Wyatt says.

THE National Association of Pension Funds has backed the UK government's strategy to issue more long-dated, indexed-linked gilts and has called for a range of distribution methods to be available to help meet pension funds needs.

GLOBAL - BlackRock has launched a pooled alternatives fund for pension schemes, charities and other institutional investors.

The £3.7bn Merseyside pension fund has gone out to tender for two unconstrained bond mandates worth a total of £320m.

FTSE 100 pension liabilities expand; Standard Life urged to compensate all savers in 'toxic' cash fund; Property funds: Scottish Widows imposes six-month notice period

Restrictions currently imposed on people who receive part of their ex-partner's pension benefits will be scrapped, the government has confirmed.

JLT Benefit Solutions has expanded its investment team with a number of key new appointments.

GLOBAL - Natixis Global Associates has launched two hedged equity funds - the Gateway US Equities Fund and the Gateway Euro Equities Fund.