Europe

UK - Aon has claimed its Pensions Security Indemnity (PSI) product is close to signing its first major deal.

UK- The National Association of pension fund has thrown its weight behind government proposals to establish personal accounts as a trust-based occupational pension scheme.

EUROPE - bfinance managing director Thomas Ross has quit the quant driven investment consultancy to join asset management firm William Blair International.

UK - The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea has appointed Capita Hartshead to administrate its pension fund.

UK - Abbey Financial Markets, the UK investment banking arm of the Santander Group, has appointed two former Watson Wyatt consultants as part of its drive to become a major player in the pensions market.

EUROPE - Mercer Human Resource Consulting has launched a European Financial Strategy Group consisting of experts in funding, accounting and investment strategy to advise on pensions risk management.

UK - Currency overlays have boosted pension fund returns over the long term, according to a new report by Mellon Analytical Solutions (MAS).

UK - Stephen Haddrill, director general of the Association of British Insurers (ABI), has urged the Government to resist turning to taxpayers to bail out consumers when planned personal accounts are introduced in 2012.

EUROPE - Mercer Human Resource Consulting has revealed it is developing a directly packaged longevity solution which should be available by early 2008.

GREECE - JPMorgan has issued pension fund investors with a 5pm deadline today to consider a proposal to repurchase €280m of structured bonds.