Europe

UK - Abbey National chief executive Ian Harley is holding crisis talks with major shareholders - including pension schemes - after the firm's share price plummeted by 11%.

UK - Alexander Forbes Financial Services has seen a 25% increase in its corporate client base over the past year.

UK - The Association of British Insurers (ABI) has proposed new tax breaks in a bid to encourage more people to save for retirement, particularly for smaller companies.

UK - The GMB union is threatening Islington Council with legal action after it removed dinner ladies from the Local Government Pension Scheme.

UK - Scottish Life is urging the government to exclude the wealthy from its attempt to simplify the pensions system.

UK - Official Financial Services Authority figures show that a quarter of UK insurers are at risk of insolvency, according to international ratings agency Fitch.

UK - Trustee boards are more able to manage pension funds than the Myners' report suggests.

UK - Standard Life Bank has denied reports that it will offer "homes as pensions" deals.

UK - The weighting of IT companies in the FTSE All-Share index has shrunk from a 7% high during the technology boom in February 2000 to 1.1%.

UK - Beleaguered cable television and Internet provider Telewest has ignored pension fund objections and re-elected its chief executive and two other directors.