Pensions drop by 10% in private sector; Expat pension schemes - Singapore sling may sink pensions; Gurkhas lose High Court battle over pensions

UK - Employees could boost pension contributions into their defined contribution (DC) pension schemes by up to 20% by embracing salary exchange, Fidelity International revealed today.

THE Investment Governance Group must not become a backdoor route for further regulation, the National Association of Pension Funds warns.

US/UK - CalPERS and The Pensions Regulator (TPR) have lost senior staff.

PRESSURE from pension schemes is improving research coverage of extra-financial issues, latest Enhanced Analytics Initiative research reveals.

UK - The National Association of Pension Funds (NAPF) has called for "energy and focus" on implementing the proposals issued by the HM Treasury after consultation on its Myners Review.

SWEDEN - The Swedish government has sold property company Vasakronan to AP Funds 1-4 for SEK41.1bn (US$6.9bn).

UK - Major institutional Marks and Spencer (M&S) shareholders have announced their intention to vote against the company's annual report and accounts at the annual general meeting (AGM) next week.

NETHERLANDS - APG Group has appointed Dr Olaf Sleijpen as managing director for institutional clients who would also sit on the Cordares board of directors following the impending merger.

IRELAND - Managed pension fund values fell lower than where they were the end of 2005 last month with €15bn ($23.8bn) being wiped out in the year to date, according to Rubicon Investment Consulting.