NORWAY - The NOK202bn (US$28.79bn) Kommunal Landspensjonskasse (KLP), one of Norway's largest life insurance companies, has increased its loans portfolio by around NOK5bn will issue more loans to municipalities in the future, MandateWire reports.

US - Public pension plans exhibit prudent investment behaviour in bear and bull markets and do not get caught up in a "herd mentality" - even during turbulent times.

Trustee boards must adopt a more business like mindset to ensure schemes are run effectively, the Pensions Management Institute says.

THE National Association of Pension Funds has urged the chancellor to issue more long-dated debt.

ORTEC has appointed Andrew Slater as managing director of its UK office in a bid to expand its business outside of the Netherlands.

PENSION funds looking to invest in hedge funds should hold off until there is greater stability and current redemptions play their way through the system, Watson Wyatt says.

AVERAGE trustee salaries are increasing as the role becomes more onerous, Mercer says.

INCLUDING: US - CalSTRS CEO joins Ceres board; UK - Hermes appoints associate director; UK - SSgA expands active equity team; GLOBAL - Oxford Management awarded CarbonNeutral certification

ISRAEL - Israel won't provide a "safety net" for pension savings eroded by the global financial crisis, the country's chief markets regulator said, rejecting a demand from the Histadrut labor union.

UK - JP Morgan's transition management business has expanded its global team and added additional fixed income capabilities.