Investment

Hewitt Associates has reported a doubling in the number of hedge fund manager searches during 2009 in comparison with the previous year.

Institutional pension fund assets in the 13 major markets increased by 15% during 2009, from US$20trn (£12.6trn) to over US$23trn (£14.5trn), latest Towers Watson research reveals.

GLOBAL - Institutional pension fund assets in the 13 major markets increased by 15% during 2009, from US$20trn to over US$23trn, latest Towers Watson research has revealed.

Robin Ellison is to officially launch his U Party today as he begins his 2010 election campaign.

Revised learning requirements from The Pensions Regulator have put trustees under "more pressure then ever", Lane Clark & Peacock says.

Affiliated Managers Group and the management team of Artemis Investment Management have bought Artemis from Fortis Bank for an undisclosed sum.

UK/US - Affiliated Managers Group and the management team of Artemis Investment Management have bought Artemis from Fortis Bank for an undisclosed sum.

DWP

US/UK - Target date funds have proved to be the best default option for US defined contribution plans, Harvard college professor David Laibson has claimed.

SWITZERLAND - The funding levels of Swiss pension funds continued to recover in the last three months of 2009 as the stock market rally refused to fizzle, a survey showed.