Europe

EUROPE - Companies with heavily under-funded pension schemes could face increased pressure on their credit ratings as investors become more wary due to badly performing stock markets.

UK - Software developer Comino has clinched a £230,000 deal to supply an electronic document management and workflow system for the £4.5bn West Yorkshire Pension Fund.

UK - GE Life has appointed software and services provider Marlborough Stirling to administer its pensions portfolio in a deal worth £15m over five years.

UK - Schroder Investment Management has slowed its client losses with outflows of £2.3bn from schemes and other institutions during the first half of this year.

UK - Steel union ISTC has claimed victory after Caparo caved in to demands on pensions after five weeks of one day-strikes.

UK - New Star Asset Management is opening its long/short New Star Japan Hedge Fund to new pension fund investors.

EUROPE - The CSFB/Tremont Hedge Fund Index is up 0.85% for August 2002, according to Oliver Schupp, president of Credit Suisse First Boston Tremont Index.

UK - Trustees and employers must review their administration practices to ensure they conform to the latest edition of the Data Protection Act, say lawyers.

UK - International law firm Stephnson Harwood has appointed Mark Catchpole as a partner in its employment, pensions and benefits group.

UK - Alice Ingham and Mark Smith have been appointed lawyers in the pensions department of Taylor Joynson Garrett.