United Kingdom

UK - The British Coal Superannuation Scheme has become the second occupational pension fund to sign up with the Unclaimed Assets Register.

UK - Vacant office space in two of London's most prestigious areas - Mayfair and St James - is at a five-year high, research from Cluttons Commercial shows.

UK/EUROPE - Specialist equity manager AXA Rosenberg Investment Management is to manage a continental European equities portfolio for Abbey National's multi-manager unit Inscape.

UK - Pension schemes at local authorities with large numbers of Moslem employees may consider investing in funds which exclude industries at odds with Islamic teachings.

SCOTLAND - The Glenrothes-based £616m Fife Council Superannuation Fund is looking for one manager to handle a new global equities portfolio expected to be worth around £150m.

UK - Pensions Reform Group proposals that would force workers to join a state-run scheme could make people worse off, Aon Consulting warns.

UK - Final salary scheme deficits are proving a major stumbling block to company mergers and acquisitions, claim pension lawyers.

UK - Pension funds should invest in sectors rather than regions to gain access to a better range of stocks, UBS Global Asset Management claims.

SCOTLAND - Scottish council tax payers are about to be hit with a £320m bill to cover deficits in local authority pension funds.

UK - Financial technology provider the Exchange has launched a pensions transfer value analysis system (TVAS) to help IFAs in advising clients.