United Kingdom

UK- Fidelity Investments has added new investment firms and funds to its Fund Partner Programme, its open architecture platform for defined contribution.

UK - Britannic Asset Management is set to launch a European high alpha fund boutique as part of its move to multi-specialist asset management.

UK - Schroders has appointed Andrew Benton and Richard Graham to its UK institutional team.

UK - Investment Solutions Limited, part of the Alexander Forbes Group, has been appointed by CB&I John Brown Limited to provide multi-manager investment and administration services to the Engineering and Construction company's newly established defined...

UK - Henderson Global Investors has appointed Innovest Strategic Value Advisors to provide company and industry SRI research.

UK - Pension scheme deficits at FTSE350 companies barely budged in 2004, falling from £73bn in 2003 to £71bn, according to Mercer Human Resource Consulting.

UK - The proposed levies for the Pension Protection Fund (PPF) will cost between £10,000 for a small pension scheme to £300,000 for a large pension scheme, according to Mercer Human Resource Consulting.

UK - Commodities are poised for strong price performance in 2005 on the back of the weak dollar and by a growing inflation threat, according to Barclays Capital.

UK- Capital Dynamics will purchase Westport Private Equity Ltd, a deal that will give the firm a combined worth of more than $5bn worth of investments.

UK - The human resources and investor solutions business of Mellon (Mellon HR & IS) says compulsion could lead individuals and employers to use the required minimum contribution as their sole vehicle for retirement savings.