Europe

UK - The total value of UK mergers and acquisitions fell by 52% in the last year to £46.5bn, research by KPMG Corporate Finance shows.

UK - The Royal Bank of Scotland is to provide liquidity for State Street's real time online money markets trading network, Money Market Connect.

UK - The property market will remain strong despite fears of rising unemployment and escalating interest rates, Baring, Houston & Saunders predicts.

UK - A guide book aimed at demystifying pensions for employees is being published by the Trade Unions Congress at the start of July.

UK - Two UK companies that decided to close their defined benefit schemes are rethinking their intended moves.

UK - Engineering group Babcock International has bucked industry trends by unveiling a massive net FRS17 surplus of £93m on its £400m pension scheme.

UK - The Financial Services Authority has restated its commitment to take legal action against firms which breach the Financial Services and Markets Act.

UK - People should be allowed to retire gradually rather than experiencing a "cliff-edge" drop at 65, work and pensions secretary Andrew Smith claims.

UK - Pension schemes are paying too much in transaction costs, British Coal pension scheme chief executive David Morgan claims.

UK - Companies are "on thin corporate governance ice" if they offer offer executive directors contracts of two years or more, pension funds warns.