Europe

SWEDEN/UK - London-based risk managers BITA Plus Consultants (BPC) has signed up Swedish consultancy Proventek as part of a push into the Nordic hedge fund market.

UK - The Financial Services Authority (FSA) has disclosed a £31.5m deficit in its £153m final salary scheme under FRS17 accounting rules.

UK/EUROPE - Pension scheme pressure has forced telecom giant Vodafone to revamp its executive remuneration package.

UK - British Airways Pension Scheme members have won their long-running battle to stop "surplus cash" being paid to the airline giant.

UK - Beleaguered telecoms manufacturer Marconi is completing a debt for equity swap that will leave pension schemes' shares in the company almost worthless.

UK - Lombard Odier has hired Gary Brecknell and Darren Stevens as credit analysts in its London credit team.

UK - The Association of British Insurers (ABI) has laid out a series of proposals that it says could bridge the £27bn annual savings gap by nearly one third.

UK - Increased institutional investor optimism has sent Merrill Lynch Fund Managers' stock market conditions indicator survey to its highest level since March.

UK - The pensions industry is urging the government to make far-reaching reforms in the way non-executive directors are selected.

EUROPE -Barclays Global Investors (BGI) is focusing on socially responsible investing (SRI) in Europe through a new outsourcing deal.