Defined Contribution

GLOBAL - The next decade will see employers improving the spend-down phase of their DC schemes, research by Mercer predicts.

MALAYSIA - Malaysia's regulatory bodies are moving closer to revealing a blueprint for the implementation of a new third pillar voluntary retirement system.

UK/DENMARK - Global Pensions editor Raquel Pichardo-Allison speaks to Morten Nilsson, head of ATP's international operations about the Danish pension fund manager's UK expansion plans.

Advisers are set to turn their backs on conventional annuities and recommend asset-backed alternatives as annuity rate crashes continue to plague retirees.

EUROPE - Multinationals with defined contribution plans in Eastern Europe are starting to favour pan-European vehicles instead, John Hall, head of the international consulting practice for EMEA at Mercer said.

Public sector workers earn £136 a week more in pay and pensions than their private sector counterparts, Office for National Statistics data proves.

UK - The BBC has proposed a new career average arrangement as part of its pensions reform but is sticking with the controversial 1% annual cap for the existing final salary scheme.

Treasury proposals to remove the requirement to annuities by age 75 will only benefit "those who need them the least", the industry warns.

Absolute return strategies are finding favour with trust-based defined contribution schemes, industry experts say.

The industry urgently needs a decision on pension tax relief restrictions, the Association of Consulting Actuaries warns.