Europe

EUROPE - Many Europeans may be losing out in pension schemes with long minimum contribution periods because more than 40% of the European workforce stay less than five years in the same job, two new studies have found.

UK - Best practice standards for hedge fund managers are likely to receive endorsement from pension consultants, according to Man Group deputy chairman Stanley Fink.

UK - Gains made by FTSE 100 pension funds over 2007 were wiped out yesterday in the greatest equities crash since 9/11 2001, according to some UK consultants.

UK - Pension funds may finally be reaping the benefits of currency alpha products, according to BNY Mellon Asset Servicing.

UK - The Cabinet Office Civil Servants Pension Scheme (COCSPS) has reappointed Hewitt as its actuarial consultant.

Heather Dale talks to Mike O'Brien, the UK's Minister of State for Pension Reform

NORWAY - The Governmental Pension Fund - Global has been urged to evaluate its ethical guidelines by environmental and solidarity NGO, the Future in Our Hands (FIVH).

The importance of the role of trustees in UK defined benefit (DB) pension funds was highlighted in 2007: the Local Authority Pension Fund Forum (LAPFF) in particular encouraged trustees to engage with companies over merger and acquisition activity.

After a long period of speculation, could it be that the ball is finally rolling for the much-hyped buyout market?

UK - Requests for help with pension scheme governance from trustees have doubled over the past 18 months, according to Hewitt Associates.