Europe

NORWAY - The NOK38bn (US$5.4bn) Oslo Pensjonforsikring has employed new tactics in order to reduce risk in its investment portfolio, according to MandateWire.

UK - The government has a 'golden opportunity' to boost workplace pension saving by enabling automatic enrolment now, the Association of British Insurers (ABI) says.

UK - Defined benefit pensions continue to be a serious concern and ongoing challenge for private equity firms acquiring, managing or disposing of companies, Punter Southall says.

UK - The Pension Protection Fund has confirmed that it has set a pension protection levy estimate of £700m for 2009/10.

EUROPE - ING Investment Management is to buy Swiss multi-manager Altis Investment Management in a move boost its European fiduciary business.

NORWAY - Norway's global pension fund, the largest equity investor in Europe, has no plans to buy commodities, according to its operator Norges Bank Investment Management (NBIM).

UK - Personal accounts must not have any advantage over good existing pension provision to avoid the threat of leveling down, B&CE Benefit Schemes warns.

UK - Government plans to reduce tax rates for low earners could reduce the tax incentive to save in a pension, the Association of British Insurers (ABI) warns.

UK - The University Superannuation Scheme (USS) did not reshape its portfolio of "risky" assets following the market turmoil of recent months, its chief investment officer (CIO) has said.

EUROPE - The presence of private pension funds on financial markets plays an important stabilising role in the financial system as a whole, according to Gertrude Tumpel-Gugerell, member of the executive board of the European Central Bank (ECB).