Europe

UK - Annuity-based money purchase schemes could leave women with up to 15% lower returns than their male counterparts, claims the Liberal Democrats.

GLOBAL/UK - Actuarial and investment consultancy Punter Southall (Punter) - a unit of South African group Sanlam Financial - is to merge with UK-based actuarial consultants, BGJ & Co.

UK - The £417m London Borough of Haringey Pension Fund has put out its entire portfolio to tender.

UK - Equities will fare better than bonds in the current global economic climate, Standard Life Investments predicts.

UK - Alan Pickering, chairman of the European Federation of Retirement Provision (EFRP), outlined some of the recommendations in his Simplification Review, but refused to be drawn on detail.

UK - Buck Consultants is outsourcing its administration business to accountant Moore Stephens.

UK - The £155m Provident Financial Staff Pension Scheme is holding a review to decide whether to make the switch to a defined contribution scheme.

UK - Trinity Mirror has hit back at claims that it is using a review of its DB schemes as a pretext to close them to new members.

UK - Auditors should consider differential pricing for audits of high-risk companies and pension scheme clients, PricewaterhouseCoopers claims.

UK - Two former Equitable Life board members - who are currently being sued by their ex-employer - left the troubled mutual with large payouts.