Europe

UK - Interest rate uncertainty is prompting schemes and other institutional investors to "neutralise" the economic sensitivity of their portfolios, State Street Global Markets claims.

UK - The Gotaas-Larsen UK Pension Scheme has appointed Northern Trust Global Investments to run a £3.5m manager-of-managers mandate.

UK - Investment consultants are increasingly turning their pension fund clients to alternatives to generate returns, a new report claims.

UK - Talbot and Muir SIPP Services has launched a new property self-invested personal pension as part of its Elite Retirement Account range.

UK - State Street has been appointed as global custodian to the Weir Group Pension Scheme. State Street will also provide fund accounting, foreign exchange and cash management services to the £400m scheme.

UK - Schemes are increasing their allocations to alternative investments such as private equity and hedge funds, research from Russell Investment Group and Goldman Sachs reveals.

UK - Hermes Private Equity - the in-house private equity arm of the £27bn British Telecom Pension Scheme - and Bridgepoint have acquired office supplies specialist OyezStraker for £80m.

UK - Insurance giant Aon has launched a flexible benefits scheme which is available to more than 8000 of its UK-based employees.

UK - Cut-Price offers from private healthcare providers are giving employers a new alternative entry level to the market, Mellon Human Resources & Investment Solutions claims.

UK - Barclays' communications campaign for its Afterwork pension scheme is in line for a second prestigious award.