UK - Pension funds will continue the move to invest in absolute return strategies during 2008, according to Hewitt Associates.

UK- One in four people aged 55-plus invests in shares as an alternative to their pensions, research from Lincoln Financial Group has revealed.

US - A lawsuit against home mortgage lender Countrywide Financial Corporation and others, brought by New York pension funds, has been expanded to include additional defendants.

SALES of enhanced annuities in the UK exceeded £1bn for the first time in 2007, latest research from Watson Wyatt reveals.

US - Barings was awarded more than 18 new active international equity mandate wins in December, worth over $150m.

Asset managers suffered net institutional outflows of £481m in December, latest figures from the Investment Management Association show.

US - The California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS) is to oppose the re-election of seven board members of electronics company Sanmina-SCI Corporation because of unresolved poor stock performance and governance practices.

US - KLA-Tencor Corporation has agreed to pay $65m to settle a shareholder lawsuit involving retirement systems from Louisiana, Philadelphia and Detroit.

FINLAND - Tapiola Pension's investment income has dropped to 4.1% during 2007, down from 6.8% in 2006, despite all asset classes performing positively.

Pensions Action Group campaigner Ros Altmann has urged trustees and administrators to ensure they are doing all they can to speed payouts to wind-up victims.