Norway

NORWAY - The NOK 1091bn (e134.4bn) government petroleum fund has hired one new fixed income manager and awarded three new mandates to equity managers in the first quarter of 2005.

NORWAY - Kommunal Landspensjonskasse (KLP), the insurer that covers 95% of municipal and county pension provision in Norway, will stay a mutual after a proposed move to demutualise failed by one vote in its general assembly.

NORWAY - Norway should phase out government subsidisation to its early retirement programmes and make the government petroleum fund an "explicit pension fund", the IMF has said.

NORWAY - The NOK 1016bn (e123bn) Government Petroleum Fund has hired seven new fixed income and eleven new equity managers in 2004, while three equity managers have been sacked.

NORWAY - Kommunal Landspensjonskasse (KLP), the mutually owned insurer that covers 95% of municipal and county pension provision in Norway, will vote on demutualisation at its general assembly 21 April.

NORWAY- Kommunal Landspensjonskasse (KLP) has posted 7.7% returns for 2004 net of payments for pensions and damages, according to preliminary reports. The figure includes value adjusted returns and hold-to-maturity bonds, KLP reported.

NORWAY - Norges Bank, the manager of the e114bn Government Petroleum Fund, has laid down revised corporate governance principles for the fund and has also stated expectations for companies in which it invests.

NORWAY - Norges Bank will reduce the size of its buffer portfolio for foreign exchange purchases made on behalf of the NOK942.4bn (e114bn) government petroleum fund in 2005.

NORWAY -The government has proposed an alternative model for flexible retirement which will allow more people to draw early retirement pension at the age of 62.

NORWAY - The Norwegian government today put forward proposals to reform its first and second pensions pillar based on existing Swedish pensions models.