Including: AUSTRALIA - JPM appoints head of securities; DUBAI - Moody's moves into Middle East; UK - Barings appoints multi-manager head; UK - IAM appoints head of client relations; UK - New FD for Standard Life

COMBINED deficits of FTSE100 pension schemes have fallen by £44bn in the last 12 months, latest research by Pension Capital Strategies reveals.

UK - The total deficit of FTSE100 pension schemes has improved £44bn in the last year, but deficits could be underestimated by £40m, according to Pension Capital Strategies' (PCS) quarterly report.

PensionsFirst - a capital markets firm that will issue scheme-specific bonds in a bid to neutralise pension fund risks - has been launched today.

FRIENDS Provident has added self-invested personal pension and income withdrawal options to its "new generation" group personal pensions.

PensionsFirst launches; Long-only Cowen launches in UK; Standard Life asks Swiss Re to consider stake; Qatari group poised to walk away from bid for Sainsbury's

LEGISLATION allowing for Pension Protection Fund compensation to be shared on divorce is to be drawn up, the government has announced.

US - A Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) probe into Merrill Lynch's pension consulting business in Florida has led to the exit of its senior vice president.

GLOBAL - An ex-Morgan Stanley staffer has set up PensionsFirst, a company managing longevity exposure and market volatility risks for defined benefit (DB) pension schemes.

POOR HEALTH is the biggest reason for retirement in the UK, research from Skandia shows.