United Kingdom

UK - Pension funds are expected to increase their bond exposure to as much as 40% over the next ten years, according to consultancy, Watson Wyatt.

UK - Property developers Croudace Limited and Maybrook Properties have hired multi-managers Russell to handle their £15m pension scheme.

UK - Pension funds may be forced to meet member insurance costs, as an increasing number of insurance companies look to cap group policies following the September 11 terrorist attacks, according to Mercer Human Resource Consulting.

UK - The Boots pension scheme in the UK is using an innovative interest rate swap arrangement to implement its strategy of matching the scheme's assets more closely to its liabilities.

UK - The WM Company, a performance measurement organisation, has welcomed the decision of Mercer to have its manager recommendation figures verified by an independent third party.

UK - Axa Investment Managers is looking to create its own multi-manager funds aimed at institutional investors.

UK - A new guide has been published by the National Association of Pension Funds (NAPF) to help trustees of money purchase schemes comply investment procedures set out in the Myners report on institutional investment.

UK - UK pension funds are way off track in meeting government requirements to issue integrated state and company benefit statements, Pensions & Actuarial Services claims.

UK - AXA Investment Managers (AXA IM) is targeting pension fund and insurance markets with the appointment of Bruce Gascoine as an institutional sales director in the UK.

UK - Increasing staff shortages mean that traditional approaches to pension administration are no longer sustainable, Aquila warns.