Asia

KOREA - Standard Life Investments has hired John Shin as its chief representative in Korea, based in Seoul.

INDIA - The Indian government will appoint the independent Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) this month.

INDIA - The finance minister of India, Jaswant Singh, has announced a new pension scheme for senior citizens that guarantees an annual return of 9%, which will be disbursed by the Life Insurance Corporation (LIC).

ASIA-PACIFIC - FTSE Group, the independent global index company, will expand its business activities in Asia Pacific throughout 2003 with a focus on Japan.

JAPAN - Normally placid Japanese pension funds have opened hostilities with failing companies in which they invest by threatening to vote against the re-election of management - and payment of their retirement allowances - if a firm suffers three straight...

KOREA - Funds managed by Korea's National Pension Fund Corporation, which currently equal 14% of GDP, may rise to equal 100%, says a new country report by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.

KOREA - Current weakness in the Korean markets is providing investors with several attractive long-term opportunities - but only if the war against Iraq reaches a swift resolution.

JAPAN - Fund managers have expressed their disappointment over the appointment of Toshihiko Fukui as the new Bank of Japan (BoJ) governor.

ASIA-PACIFIC - It is not that the Asia-Pacific had a lousy year...

JAPAN - Corporate restructuring remains the best route to reviving Japan's deflated equity sector, says one leading expert.