Europe

UK - Specialist emerging markets manager Fabien Pictet & Partners has launched a fixed income emerging markets hedge fund that will trade bonds on a long/short basis.

UK - The effect Green Paper proposals will have on SSASs and SIPPs will be discussed at a conference in London on February 25.

UK - Administrators are urging schemes to tighten their security procedures amid fears lax controls could allow criminals to steal millions.

UK/US - Thirty UK pension funds have taken part in a successful campaign to force US mutual funds to introduce compulsory disclosure of corporate governance voting.

UK - Inland Revenue proposals to simplify the taxation of pensions will face strong opposition, a financial services group claims.

UK - DLA Pensions is holding a half-day pensions law briefing at its London offices on February 12.

UK - Legal & General estimates the effect of revised mortality figures will reduce its gross pretax operating profit by £140m.

EUROPE - The Polish Chamber of Pension Funds (IGTE) joined the European Federation for Retirement Provision on 1 January 2003.

UK - Individual balanced pension fund managers have seen massive variations in performance over short and longer terms, new figures show.

UK - Accountancy giant KPMG has dropped an independent trustee from one of its pension funds before court action to resolve a dispute with members.