United Kingdom

UK - Citigroup plans to launch a new set of alpha indices in this month to complement the creation of its Beta 1 currency index.

UK - The Parliamentary Contributory Pension Fund has remained tight lipped over a £9m mandate awarded to hedge fund of fund managers, Quellos Capital Management.

UK - New bulk buyout firm Pension Insurance Corporation (PIC) is set to appoint a panel of transition managers to manage the transfer of assets it acquires from pension funds.

UK - The London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority have issued a tender for an administrator to the Firefighters' Pension Schemes.

UK - Specialist global listed property firm Cohen & Steers has reopened the debate as to whether pension funds are up to speed with real estate investment trusts (REITs).

UK - The Shetland Islands Council pension fund and Warwickshire County Council pension fund have dramatically increased allocations to alternatives in a bid to diversify their portfolio's.

UK - Aon has claimed its Pensions Security Indemnity (PSI) product is close to signing its first major deal.

UK- The National Association of pension fund has thrown its weight behind government proposals to establish personal accounts as a trust-based occupational pension scheme.

EUROPE - bfinance managing director Thomas Ross has quit the quant driven investment consultancy to join asset management firm William Blair International.

UK - The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea has appointed Capita Hartshead to administrate its pension fund.