Investment

EUROPE - Barclays Global Investors is to introduce Europe's first ever corporate bond exchange traded fund next week.

UK - Manchester tram operator Serco Metrolink has appointed Jardine Lloyd Thompson to provide actuarial, consulting, administration and strategic investment advice to its final salary pension scheme.

UK - State Street Corporation has been appointed by the £600m Tate & Lyle Group Pension Scheme to provide global custody and investment accounting services.

UK - Pensions administration specialist Aquila has launched a new service which gives pension funds increased use of the internet.

UK/EUROPE - Pension funds and other institutional investors have poured assets into Barclays Global Investors' European Equity Market Neutral Fund.

UK/EUROPE - Pension funds and other institutional investors have poured assets into Barclays Global Investors' European Equity Market Neutral Fund.

UK - High street retailer Marks & Spencer has selected Threadneedle Investments to provide investment and administration services for the new Marks & Spencer defined contribution plan.

EUROPE - Barclays Global Investors has strengthened its hedge fund stable with the launch of a new European equity market neutral product.

UK - Rail and bus service operator Stagecoach faces a spiralling FRS17 deficit on its pensions scheme, City analysts claim.

EUROPE - Dow Jones is planning to launch the world's first Islamic ETF by the end of this year or early in 2003.