Europe

FRANCE - President Nicolas Sarkozy has announced plans to amend France's pension reform to prevent parents who interrupt their careers to raise children from being penalised.

UK - The final salary link in public service pensions is 'inherently unfair' and can lead to high flyers getting almost twice as much back in pensions than those on more modest earnings for the same amount of pension contributions, Lord John Hutton says....

DENMARK - Danish pension fund managers ATP and LD could be allowed to offer banking, mortgage and insurance products under proposals put forward by the government yesterday.

EUROPE - AllianceBernstein is planning to launch a risk parity strategy for pension schemes seeking growth while minimising equity volatility.

UK - BAA Pension Trust - the trustee of the BAA Pension Scheme - has appointed Xafinity Paymaster to provide third party administration services for their DB pension scheme covering over 20,000 members.

UK - Paul Trickett, head of investment for Europe, Middle East and Africa at consultancy Towers Watson, will be leaving the firm.

NORWAY - Norway's Government Pension Fund Global intends to broaden its investments to include infrastructure projects and private equity investments in a bid to increase returns.

EUROPE - Strong returns on European long-term savings are being hampered by an expensive and "highly inefficient" pensions market, the European Fund and Asset Management Association (EFAMA) said.

UK/US - The Pensions Regulator's determinations panel has issued its reasons for chasing Lehman Brothers subsidiaries with a financial support direction.

UK - The trustee of the Merchant Navy Officers Pension Fund has selected Towers Watson as the delegated chief investment officer for its £3bn ($4.7bn) pension fund.