AUSTRALIA - The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) has defended its handling of the short selling ban in a speech given to the Australian Corporate Lawyers Association (ACLA).

GLOBAL - Emerging markets are in much better shape than they were five years ago, and fund managers are now even more keen to hang on to the decoupling theory, according to Standard & Poor's.

UK - Some 94% of organisations have failed to discuss the issue of personal accounts at a governance, trustee or board meeting, Aon Consulting research reveals.

UK - The John Lewis Partnership has transferred its 29% share in online grocery supermarket Ocado to its pension fund.

Measures designed to ease the administrative and financial burdens on employers running pension schemes have been announced by pensions minister Rosie Winterton.

Falling interest rates have hit annuity rates with the top level from Norwich Union dropping by £60 over the last month, Alexander Forbes says.

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HSBC Actuaries and Consultants has appointed head of defined benefits Steven Robinson to oversee its strategic trustee and DB market growth plan.

PricewaterhouseCoopers has launched a pensions capital management service in a bid to formalise its existing defined benefits pension financial and risk management advice to sponsoring employers and trustees.

Market volatility will lead to increased take-up of transition management services, Credit Suisse says.