US - Auto-enrolment in 401(k) plans and other high-cost retirement benefits have been hit by the global downturn, research by Hewitt Associates reveals.

AUSTRALIA - Superannuation fund savers should not make "rash" decisions based on negative performance, the Superannuation Stakeholder Group has urged.

SEI recieved commitments for £4.8bn in new global institutional assets from 35 new clients in 2008.

NETHERLANDS - Mixed reactions have welcomed the statement by DNB's president Nout Wellink on the possibility of extending the recovery time from three to five years for underfunded pension schemes.

UK - The £3.7bn (US$5.25bn) Merseyside pension fund has gone out to tender for two unconstrained bond mandates worth a total of £320m.

GLOBAL - Aberdeen Asset Management has hired Paul Griffiths as global head of fixed income.

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

GLOBAL - SEI has said it received commitments for £4.8bn in new global institutional assets from 35 new clients in 2008.

Aberdeen Asset Management has hired Paul Griffiths as global head of fixed income.

UK - Vanguard is set to launch a UK funds business in a bid to build a more integrated global asset management business.