United Kingdom

UK - It would be outrageous for the government to make those affected by the pension maladministration wait any longer for compensation, independent pension advisor Ros Altmann has claimed.

UK - Hermes confirmed it is reviewing options for its index-tracking division, but refuted claims the division was cross-subsidising its active management business.

UK - Peter Scales has joined EPIC Investment Advisers' (EIA) investment panel, having worked most recently as CEO of the £3.6bn London Pensions Fund Authority.

UK - Nearly three quarters (73%) of defined benefit schemes do not expect to be fully funded in five years time, although the figure falls sharply to 16% over ten years, a survey by the NAPF has found.

UK - Demand for hedge funds and non-UK property has skyrocketed in the past year among pension fund clients at Watson Wyatt Investment Consulting.

UK - The High Court has this morning ruled against the UK government in a landmark pensions case.

UK - Standard Life Investments (SLI) saw its institutional sales increase by 24% to £3.3bn over 2006, while assets under management rose 11%.

UK - Pension funds are awarding nearly seven times more high-alpha and specialist bond mandates in 2006 as traditional bond mandates plummet, Watson Wyatt Investment Consulting has claimed.

UK - The expected unwinding of carry positions could "significantly" devalue pension fund assets, State Street Global Advisors (SSgA) has warned

UK - The UK inflation-linked swaps market has more than doubled in 2006 to reach around £20bn, according to Watson Wyatt Investment Consulting.