Europe

The currency union faces four possible growth scenarios

Michael Bow talks to Matti Leppälä

UK - Government plans to cut a subsidy boosting the appeal of solar panel infrastructure investments could scupper scheme plans to use these investments as part of their liability matching strategies, fund managers say.

CHINA - The head of the IMF pleaded with China to support the eurozone as she warned the global economy is heading for a "lost decade".

UK - Aegon is to close its defined benefit pension scheme to future accrual in March 2013 as part of its restructure and cost saving programme.

UK - The Pension Protection Fund has published its annual report - revealing a surplus of £678m ($1.1bn) at 31 March.

FRANCE - Alcatel-Lucent reported a pension and other post employment benefit (OPEB) deficit of €1.2bn ($1.7bn) in the third quarter down from an overfunding of €49m at the end of June.

UK - Schemes looking to maximise returns in a low interest rate environment must work closely with investment banks to boost member outcomes, Barclays chief executive Bob Diamond says.

EUROPE - The majority of European multinational companies would like to develop cross-border pensions but differing regulations among member states and uncertainty over changing European rules are giving plan sponsors pause, AEGON finds.