Europe

UK - Threadneedle Asset Management has named Michael Taylor as head of equities.

UK - Statutory money purchase illustrations - which come into force next year - offer a vital growth opportunity for the pensions industry e-business solutions provider Aqera claims.

UK - The decline in defined benefit schemes is greater than previous figures suggest, a new study claims.

UK - Hymans Robertson has appointed Clare Gardner and Vince McEntegart as co-heads of manager research.

UK - Beleaguered insurer Equitable Life has rejected accusations that it kept vital information from policyholders.

UK - Local authority pension funds are making increased use of specialist managers, PIRC's '2002 Local Authority Pension Fund' yearbook reveals.

UK - Albert Fisher Pension Fund trustees are sending members details of an action plan after the scheme's food group sponsor called in KPMG as receivers.

UK - Barnett Waddingham has appointed Richard Millson as partner in the Leeds office and Nuala Hedges as partner in the Cheltenham office.

UK - Most trustees are breaking OPRA's deadlines for reporting the progress of scheme wind-ups.

UK/Global - Investment house Gartmore is urging investors to take a second look at the Far East. Neil Rogan, Gartmore's head of international equities, insists that the region's stockmarkets, particularly Japan and South Korea, are set to impress investors...