Europe

FRANCE - Asset Square, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Natexis Banques Populaires, one of the largest French investment, financing and full service banks, has signed a co-operation agreement with Goldman Sachs Asset Management International.

UK - Gensec International Asset Management is to re-launch as io investors, a multi-manager firm for the institutional and intermediary markets in the UK.

FRANCE - Russell has appointed Ludovica Grisi della Pie as sales manager within its institutional investment services team based in Paris.

UK - The continued shift away from UK equities by pension funds and the strength of bond investment are highlighted in WM Company's second quarter figures.

UK - The fund manager who took over from Alistair Lennard said in the High Court that he would not have run up a portfolio as concentrated as that created by Lennard.

AUSTRALIA/UK - Mellon Financial Corporation has sealed an agreement with Australia's NSP Buck to acquire its remaining 70% holding in the employee benefits company for an undisclosed amount.

EUROPE - Hermes Focus Asset Management Europe (HFAME) has finalised its team for the launch of its new Hermes European Focus Funds.

UK - The number of people in occupational schemes has fallen by 800,000 since 1997, latest government figures show.

UK - The fund management industry appears to be responding to warnings of significant profit declines, according to consultants PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).

UK - Lombard Odier has appointed Martin Squires as its new head of credit research. Based in London, he will be responsible for leading and developing the credit research team.