NETHERLANDS - Dutch employers could stop providing defined benefit (DB) pension provision, if proposals from the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) are implemented, the Dutch Federation of Pension Funds has warned.

US - Equifax has announced it is to freeze its defined benefit (DB) scheme as of 1 January 2009, in a move that will affect over half of its US workforce.

US - New York City's pension funds held around two million shares of common stock in Lehman Brothers, according to the city's comptroller.

UK - Total funding deficits increased by £13bn (US$23bn) to £60bn, following the 4% falls on equity markets yesterday, according to estimates by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC).

CANADA - The Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors (Committee) of CFM US Corporation has filed a complaint against the Ontario Teachers Pension Plan Board (OTTPB).

US - The California Public Employees' Retirement System has approved 19 investment plans for local public agency and school employee members of its defined contribution (DC) schemes.

The majority of trustees and employers believe the current Pension Protection Fund levy structure does not represent a fair sharing of costs, Barnett Waddingham says.

The Trades Union Congress has urged the government not to bow to pensions industry lobbying which would "water down" the personal accounts exemption test.

The £18bn Barclays UK Pension Fund has appointed Tony Broccardo as chief investment officer.

The Pensions Trust has selected Paternoster to insure the benefits of the 10,500 pensioner members of its Growth Plan.