GLOBAL - Towers Perrin has increased its focus on cross-border pension plans for multinational companies with the appointment of senior consultant Dave Roberts.

HEWITT ASSOCIATES has appointed Colin Bullen to its UK retirement consulting practice.

US - Pension funds are reviewing policies governing securities lending pools and short-term investment funds, a survey by Greenwich Associates has revealed.

US - New York State attorney general Andrew Cuomo has announced his office is expanding its investigation into the auction rates securities scandal to include JP Morgan Chase, Morgan Stanley and Wachovia.

The Pensions Regulator's draft guidance on how to calculate transfer values for members of defined benefit pension schemes is too late to be effective, Mercer says.

US - The California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS) has launched a search for new chief investment officer (CIO) to oversee the US$230bn pension fund.

IRELAND - The pensions industry has criticised the government for guaranteeing the pension liabilities of semi-state bodies.

Boeing is under growing pressure from unions to disclose the extent and funding source of its executive pension plans.

TRUSTEES could start demanding higher contribution rates from cash-strapped companies as economic uncertainty rises, KPMG research reveals.

MEMBERS of the closed B&CE Retirement Benefit Scheme will receive a 4.3pc benefit rate increase.