Europe

EUROPE - Crédit Agricole Structured Asset Management (CASAM) has launched a range of 11 exchange-traded funds on NYSE Euronext - boosting its total offering of ETFs to 35.

SPAIN - The profitability of Spanish pension funds has fallen by 4.1% since the beginning of year, Mercer's Pension Investment Performance Service has found.

UK - Falling markets have left some investments in defined contribution schemes worth less than the cash contributions made into them, PricewaterhouseCoopers says.

UK - The £23bn (US$32.3bn) Universities Superannuation Scheme has made the first hire for its planned move into hedge funds.

UK - A war of words has erupted between former RBS chief executive Sir Fred Goodwin and city minister Lord Myners after the ex-banker refused to give back some or all of his £650,000 (US$922,600) a year pension.

FRANCE- BNP Paribas Investment Partners (BNPP IP) has added two deputy chief executives to its top management line-up.

UK - Cuts in pension staff will be "key" to a restructuring at Legal & General, the insurer says.

UK - The funding position of RBS Group's pension scheme fell by £2.3bn during 2008, company results reveal.

UK / US - Swiss Re is shutting down its variable annuities and pensions business in a bid to scale back retirement-related activities.

UK/NETHERLANDS â€" A group of pension funds has told pharmaceutical firms they need more information about the industry’s emerging market strategies.