Asia

Asian countries are exposing their citizens to a concentration of risk comparable to that which occurred in the Enron scandal, delegates at Mercer's Asia Pacific Investment Forum have been told this week

JAPAN - Japan has made a reappearance on pension funds' radars, with asset managers reporting higher inflows to equity funds investing in the country.

ASIA PACIFIC - Mercer has created a role in its Asia Pacific region to provide investment solutions to mega funds.

MIDDLE EAST - An increase in multi-national companies in the Middle East is driving demand for Western-style pay and benefit practices, according to Mercer.

TURKEY - Cordea Savills has opened a property fund and Lyxor has launched an ETF to capitalise on Turkey's expanding economy.

SOUTH KOREA - South Korea's National Pension Fund has moved away from US Treasuries because of low yields, according to reports.

JAPAN - Electronics giant Hitachi will contribute stock to a newly established employee retirement benefit trust, in a move to improve its pension financing and increase its utilisation of financial assets.

MIDDLE EAST - BNP Paribas Investment Partners (BNPP IP) and the Saudi Investment Bank (SAIB) have formed an asset management firm in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

MIDDLE EAST - SEI has opened an office in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) to provide investment solutions to clients in the Middle East.

INDIA - India's New Pension Scheme (NPS) will initially allow members just two investment options - government securities alone or a 15/85% split between equities and fixed income.