Europe

UK - Government attempts to encourage people to delay retirement by offering financial incentives will not work, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation warns.

UK - The £13bn Railways Pension Scheme has appointed London's TT International and Nordea of Copenhagen to pan-European equity briefs worth $425m (£243m).

UK - Seven Walbrook directors have completed a £50m buyout of the firm with the backing of Hermes Private Equity.

EUROPE - Linklaters has acted for five institutional investors on the establishment of a e1.1bn retail real estate fund through a joint venture with shopping centre developer Sonae Imobiliária Group.

UK - Private schools have been told not to share pensions information amid fears it could breach government rules on "fee-fixing".

UK - Winterthur Life has developed an online portfolio planning and asset allocation tool for IFAs.

UK - Colin Cookson (pictured) has been appointed by HSBC Asset Management to the new role of head of business development for the group's corporate and institutional client base.

EUROPE - Independent market analyst Datamonitor reports the new EU pensions directive means Germany, Italy and Spain are likely to be fiercely targeted by asset management companies.

UK - Government spending on National Health Service pensions is set to soar by 50% as the deficit in the scheme reaches £110bn.

UK - Carlton Communications' chairman Michael Green is facing the prospect of a final row with shareholders after being granted a £1.38m pay-off.