UK - People hardest hit by the near collapse of Equitable Life will be compensated by the government, the Treasury has confirmed.

GLOBAL - Total exchange traded fund (ETF) assets under management (AuM) fell in 2008, although trading volumes and products rose, according to Barclays Global Investors (BGI).

The Dow Jones Wilshire 5000 lost US$6.9trn in overall market value in 2008 - marking the worst loss in the history of the index.

People hardest hit by the near collapse of Equitable Life will be compensated by the government, the Treasury has confirmed.

Merseyside Pension Fund has provided 50pc of the £30m seed funding for the Nomura RAFI global all country equity fund.

Two-thirds of companies would choose entirely contract-based pension arrangements over the occupational model if they had the chance to start over, Buck Consultants data reveals.

JLT Benefit Solutions has expanded its flexible benefits team with the appointment of Sarah Lardner.

CANADA - Quebec employment minister Sam Hamad has proposed legal measures to guarantee pension benefits to pensioners and workers whose schemes go bust as a result of the financial crisis.

US - The City of San Diego pension plan administrator has called for decisions to be taken for the long term and not as a result to short term market dislocations.

US- The largest US state pension funds lost a combined US$865.2bn in the past year as drops in the equity markets chipped away at their market values, estimates The Center for Retirement Research at Boston College.