LAW firm HBJ Gateley Wareing has appointed Michael Collins and Mario Conti as partners in its pensions team.

UK - The deteriorating economic climate will create new conditions for pension funds in the year ahead, according to BlackRock.

US - The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) has assumed responsibility for the pensions of more than 500 employees and retirees of the Jane Addams Hull House Association in Chicago.

NETHERLANDS - ABP has reported a 28 percentage point drop in its coverage ratio, from 118% to 90%, since the end of the third quarter of 2008.

US - Retirement funds have a significant impact on their local economies, according to a study of investments held by the Retirement Systems of Alabama (RSA).

UK - The trustees of the Press Association Pension Fund have a completed a £60m buy-in transaction with Legal & General.

US - US pension funds expect investment returns to plummet over the next five years, research suggests.

Trustees of the new Royal Mail defined contribution plan have appointed Zurich to provide the scheme with investment and administration services.

DEFINED benefit pension schemes reached an aggregate deficit of £194.5bn in December 2008, figures from the Office for National Statistics reveal.

Civil servants will spend one third of life in retirement; Thousands stuck in property funds as Standard halts exits; Friends to demerge holding in F&C; Standard Life confident about year ahead; Pensioners cost of living increasing four times the official...