United Kingdom

UK/US - First State Investments (UK) is accelerating it push into the North American institutional market.

UK - The Greater Manchester and Merseyside pension funds have invested in a £30m equity fund set up to help small business in the North West.

UK - The Pensions Trust's efforts to set up centralised schemes for UK charities has been hit by high-profile defections from its Social Housing Pension Scheme (SHPS).

UK - Credit Suisse Asset Management (CSAM) is holding a free seminar on private equity investment.

UK - The Financial Reporting Council is increasing its efforts to take legal action against companies which do not comply with FRS17 accounting rules.

UK - The £120m Selfridges Retail Pension Scheme has moved its asset allocation away from equities and ended its contribution holiday.

UK/GERMANY - Staff at insurance underwriter Folgate Partnership are considering legal action against the firm's former owner for leaving them with a large pension deficit.

UK - Schroder Investment Management has fired two of its senior US managers.

UK - Jardine Lloyd Thompson (JLT) will be running focus groups for employee benefit professionals.

UK/EUROPE - Credit Suisse Asset Management (CSAM) has appointed Jay Bhutani as an energy analyst in the European equity research team.