MIDDLE EAST - SEI has opened an office in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) to provide investment solutions to clients in the Middle East.

GLOBAL - The real estate market is offering great rewards to those who get the timing right, but pension funds tempted to make large allocations to the sector have been warned the market may not yet have bottomed out.

UK- The number of pension funds seeking advice due to financially 'stressed' or 'distressed' sponsors is growing, a partner at specialist risk management consultancy Kroll has stated.

AUSTRALIA - A Superannuation Advisory Group has been established by minister for superannuation, Senator Nick Sherry, to provide ongoing consultation between the industry and government.

UK - The record funding surplus of the 200 largest company pension schemes cannot prevent a bleak future, according to Aon Consulting.

UK - The Pensions Regulator has seconded Hewitt Associates consultant Russell Agius, who will focus on delivering the policy framework for the regulator's defined benefit (DB) funding work programme.

UK - Pension scheme trustees feel their workloads have increased significantly and many claim they don't have sufficient time to complete their duties, a survey by Aon has revealed.

INCLUDING: US - Pioneer appoints US head of portfolio management; US - CalPERS appoints board member; US - CalPERS appoints board member

UK - Local authority pension schemes are being unfairly funded by council tax, according to the TaxPayers' Alliance.

IRELAND - The Irish Association of Pension Funds (IAPF) has warned a soft mandatory approach to pensions by the government could exacerbate the problem of take up and contributions.