Europe

UK - The £68m RSPCA has appointed Threadneedle Asset Management to run a balanced mandate.

UK - Schroder Property Investment Management has bought three properties worth a combined total of £50m.

UK - Companies must consult remuneration committees before they even consider offering executives other benefits in place of pensions after tax simplification, Watson Wyatt warns.

UK - ABN AMRO Mellon Global Securities has been hired to provide custody and accounting services for the e1.8bn Kvaerner's UK pension arrangements.

UK - Automotive and aerospace manufacturer GKN has blamed rising pension costs for the 8% fall in pre-tax profits.

UK - Employee benefit experts are welcoming regulatory changes for the group risk industry which will "raise the bar of best practice".

UK - Britain's decision to base the Pensions Protection Fund on the US Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation makes no sense, according to White House advisers.

UK - Societe Generale has built up its pan-European equity research team with the appointment of five senior analysts.

UK - Standard & Poor's, the US rating agency, has unveiled a new service aimed at helping UK trustees assess major risk decisions facing defined benefit schemes.

UK - Pensions advisory service OPAS has appointed Lovells partner Jane Samsworth as chairman.