Europe

UK - The Pensions Regulator is to act as monitor of personal accounts to be introduced in 2012, under proposals from Mike O'Brien, minister for pension reform.

UK - The Pensions Action Group will hold an all-night vigil outside Downing Street tomorrow to protest the government's bail-out of Northern Rock, while victims of pension scheme wind-ups are still waiting for compensation.

UK - The pension fund buyout market is yet to fulfil its potential after an unimpressive third quarter, according to Aon Consulting.

UK - The Association of Consulting Actuaries (ACA) has called on the government to lift the ban on conditionally indexed pensions in order to slow the retreat from defined benefit (DB) schemes.

EUROPE - In order to cope with wide scale changes to the investment landscape, consultants Watson Wyatt and the Financial Times have launched a joint research project to help advise stakeholders.

GREECE - The conservative government has called for the amalgamation of 155 separate pension funds down to 20 in order to improve economies of scale and reduce waste, according to reports in Greek newspaper Kathimerini.

UK - Four Swiss Life Asset Management ex-staffers have set up an asset manager boutique, focusing on long-only equity funds.

UK - The National Association of Pension Funds (NAPF) has appointed Keith Hollander as business development director, a new role aimed to enhance its offering to members.

UK - Sainsbury's two defined benefit (DB) pension schemes posted a year to date surplus of £228m (US$456m) compared to a deficit of £276m at the same time last year.

UK - Hewitt Associates has accused the Pension Regulator of putting trustees under extra pressure in its draft clearance guidance, released yesterday.