Europe

UK - Research showing one in four employers would "level down" their pension contributions once personal accounts are introduced has given weight to fears that the National Pension Savings Scheme (NPSS) will eat into sound pension schemes.

UK - The three ITV unions have threatened to call a strike following the unveiling of plans to close the television station's final salary scheme to existing members.

ITALY - Lower house speaker and former head of the Partito della Rifondazione Comunista (Communist Refoundation Party), Fausto Bertinotti, said yesterday the discussion on pensions "could be the occasion for... an important political debate".

FRANCE - In its third quarter results, Crédit Agricole Asset Management (CAAM) has reported assets under management (AUM) of €522.2bn.

BENELUX - BlackRock Merrill Lynch Investment Managers (BlackRock MLIM) has appointed Mark Schipper as marketing manager for the Benelux region.

UK - ABN AMRO Mellon Global Securities Services B.V. has replaced State Street as custodian to the £1.2bn Cambridgeshire County Council Pension Fund.

UK - Life expectancy at age 65 in the UK has reached the highest level ever for both men and women, according to a statement issued by the National Statistics Office.

NORWAY - Global - the Norwegian Government Pension Fund - funded three fixed income and four equity mandates in a record-breaking third quarter that saw it surpass ABP as Europe's largest pension fund.

UK - Lane Clark & Peacock (LCP) has launched a guide to to help trustees and companies decide on the suitability of buy-outs.

FINLAND - People are still retiring far too early in Finland despite efforts to push back the retirement age by two to three years, the Finnish Centre for Pensions (Eläketurvakeskus/ETK) has found.