SCHEME buyouts are more affordable than any time in the last ten years, Pension Capital Strategies says.

US - Women need to save more than men to sustain their standard of living in retirement, a study by Hewitt has revealed.

UK - The £500m (US$987m) London Borough of Barnett pension fund has placed a contract for an actuarial consultant out to tender.

CANADA/TURKEY - AEGON Canada's investment accounting employees are to join RBC Dexia in Toronto, as part of strategic alliance between the two firms.

UK - Hermes is launching a new partnership amalgamating Hermes Focus Asset Management and Hermes Focus Asset Management Europe into a single partnership structure from January 2009.

ALEXANDER Forbes Financial Services launched a free guide on allocating equities for pension scheme trustees and employers.

AUSTRALIA - Environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues are critical to the long term financial success of superannuation assets and should be incorporated into the investment decision making process of trustees, superannuation and corporate law...

THE Gold Standard Awards 2008 - run by Professional Pensions parent company Incisive Media - are now open for entries.

AUSTRALIA - Superannuation funds plan to move heavily from fixed income in favour of alternative assets in a response to the current market climate, a survey by Terrapin Australia has found.

THE University of Surrey has launched a salary sacrifice scheme for employees who are members of the University Superannuation Scheme.