ZURICH is to enter the group risk market early next year with the launch of Zurich Corporate Risk.

The option for trustees to commute small "stranded pension pots" of less than £2000 has been put on hold until the middle of 2009.

Despite news that the total deficit of pension schemes hit £155bn in November the Pension Protection Fund will not be overwhelmed, Con Keating says.

A man has been ordered to repay more than £400,000 for his part in the £2.9m CW Cheney & Son pension scheme fraud.

Pensions lifeboat risks being swamped; Three men told to repay £2m after pension fraud; FSA: Get a grip on bonuses or face nationalisation

The Combined Nuclear Pension Plan has gained more than 9000 new members following the transfer of Sellafield shares to the private sector.

INCLUDING: SWITZERLAND - Zurmont closes buyout fund; CANADA - Caisse's president extends leave of absence; US - Colorado PERA holds board elections; UK - NAPF Investment Conference 2009

UK - Pension funds abandoning diversification strategies as a response to losses caused by market turmoil could miss investment opportunities, asset managers warn.

CANADA - Canadian communications company BCE has hired PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), in an attempt to rescue its takeover by an investor group led by the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan (OTPP).

AUSTRALIA - The government has rejected a call from leading economists to drop compulsory superannuation contributions to 6% as part of an economic stimulus package.