United Kingdom

UK - There is a growing trend for employers to close final salary pension schemes to new members, with only a third still being open, according to Watson Wyatt.

UK- Risk profiles of defined benefit schemes will be revealed in autumn when the Pensions Protection Fund (PPF) publishes the information gathered from the returns received.

UK - News broke today that Edmund Truell will be the latest entrepreneur to enter the UK's bulk buyout market, as experts on the burgeoning scene spoke at the National Association of Pension Funds (NAPF) annual conference.

UK - Gissings has come bottom of a Global Pensions survey of UK investment consultants' manager research capability, while Mercer retained its position as the most highly rated consultant.

UK - Schroders and the Bank of New York have lost custody mandates each worth an approximate £1bn after the Royal Mail pension plan opted to consolidate its assets under one global custodian.

UK - Capital International and Schroder Investment Management have lost mandates worth £150m each as the £300m London Borough of Redbridge restructures its portfolio and moves from balanced to specialist.

UK - A discussion document issued by the Pensions Regulator called for a governance statement and the recovery plan to be included in annual pension scheme reports and accounts.

UK - The £8.8bn Strathclyde Pension fund has awarded three active currency overlay mandates together worth £450m.

UK - The TUC has called on the government to take a stronger line in "the fight against the secrecy" surrounding pensions investment.

UK - After eight years with Aon as head of investment modelling, Yakoub Yakoubov has joined Watson Wyatt as a senior investment consultant with the global investment systems team.