United Kingdom

UK - JPMorgan, Merrill Lynch Investment Managers (MLIM) and Schroder Investment Management have all benefited from the £630m Shropshire County Council pension fund's decision to allocate more to overseas equities.

UK - At the Schroders Pension Fund Conference in London yesterday Chris Rodgers, executive director specialist UK equities, told clients that in today's environment UK pensions funds should give careful consideration to having anything up to 50% of their...

UK - Legal & General has welcomed Government proposals on annuity reform, claiming that by seeking to preserve the pooled nature of annuities, the Government is "acting in the best interest of pensioners".

UK - Six people charged with conspiracy to steal nearly £3m from the CW Cheney & Son pension fund appeared before Birmingham Crown Court yesterday.

UK - In anticipation of the Budget Statement next week, Tim Keogh, European Partner at Mercer Human Resource Consulting, has commented on quick wins for the Chancellor to improve UK pension provision.

UK - State Street global Advisors has announced that it has received recognition from the Financial Services Authority for its family of European streetTRACKS Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) based on MSCI sector indices.

UK/EUROPE - Barclays Global Investors (BGI) has appointed Jagdeep Bains as head of transition portfolio management.

UK - Consulting actuaries Punter Southall has recruited Graeme Muir, an actuarial adviser to local authority pension schemes, as a principal of the firm with effect from April 9, 2002.

UK - A potential landmark case on pension surplus distribution - which is currently before the ombudsman - has moved a step closer to completion.

UK - SEI is urging Alan Pickering's simplification review to put forward radical changes in the way defined benefit schemes are structured.