Europe

UK/ LUXEMBOURG - Franklin Templeton's Templeton Growth (Euro) fund is now worth over EUR1bn (£639m), less than two years after its launch.

UK - Nearly a quarter of small to medium-sized companies are considering closing their defined benefit schemes during the next 12 months, a survey reveals.

UK/SWITZERLAND - Electronic stock trading service NeoNet has joined the Virt-x Exchange.

EUROPE - Mercer Human Resource Consulting has criticised recent steps towards cross-border pensions as largely ineffective.

UK - Royal & SunAlliance has created a second state pension support pack for IFAs in an effort to tackle consumer apathy and confusion.

UK - A pensions ombudsman decision that requires trustees to justify their actions to members is another financial burden for schemes, a professional trustee says.

UK/EUROPE - A compromise deal on the EU pensions directive has been welcomed by the NAPF.

UK/EUROPE - A compromise deal on the EU pensions directive has been welcomed by the NAPF.

UK - The Whitehall power struggle which threatened to ensnare Alan Pickering's Simplification Review has moved decisively in favour of the Treasury, consultants fear.

EUROPE - European property have been unduly depressed since last year's economic slowdown, LaSalle Investment Management claims.