GLOBAL - A standardised international policy of fee disclosure has been mooted to help pension plan participants become better informed about defined contribution (DC) plan investment and administrative services.

GLOBAL - Soaring global food prices and the search for diversification against equity and fixed interest market downturns have prompted investors to turn their attention to commodities as a separate asset class, a report by institutional fund manager...

UK - The Occupational Pensions Trust (OPT) has attacked proposals to change the Pension Protection Fund (PPF) risk-based levy as potentially damaging to funding levels.

AUSTRALIA - The wholesale fund market fell 2.5% over July, the third consecutive month of falls, with total funds under management (FuM) standing at AUS$287bn (US$247bn), according to figures released by DEXX&R.

Including: UK - Sainsbury's looks to de-risk scheme; CHINA - HSBC and BoCom agree pension joint venture; US - Academy of Actuaries appoints senior pension fellow; Europe - Western Europe set to follow Eastern European countries

National Association of Pension Funds workplace education service Pensionsforce has launched a website to help employers and employees plan for retirement.

The number of final salary schemes open to new employees has plunged from 28pc to just 17pc in a year, Aon Consulting says.

UK - Balanced pooled pension funds results for the month of July improved from the previous month, a study by BNY Mellon Asset Services has revealed.

FINLAND - Finland's State Pension Fund (VER) investments yielded a return of -6.4% in the first half of 2008, compared to 3.4% in the same period of 2007, the fund has announced.

Metlife Assurance has appointed Dan DeKeizer as chief executive of its UK pension liability transfer business.