United Kingdom

UK - Multi-manager Investment Solutions Limited, part of the Alexander Forbes Group, has announced plans to launch into the investment fund market in the second quarter of 2005.

UK - Wealth Management Software (WMS) is developing pensions software set for launch in 2006 in response to the UK government's proposal for pensions simplification.

UK - GAIM Advisors (GAIM), the Financial Services Authority regulated subsidiary of Integrated Asset Management plc has launched a new long/short fund of hedge funds.

UK - Multi-manager Investment Solutions Limited, part of the Alexander Forbes Group, has announced plans to launch into the investment fund market in the second quarter of 2005.

UK - Schroders has reduced its exposure to European equities on the back of "poor economic outlook" for the region and is likely to make further reductions in the next couple of months.

UK - Bank of Ireland Asset Management (BIAM) risks losing further pension business after the £2bn Lothian pension fund's announcement that it is putting a £180m global equities brief managed by the firm to tender - two years before the expiry of their...

UK - The National Association of Pension Funds has hired the former managing director of Cahoot to the new role of chief executive of its corporate governance, research and voting service (RREV).

UK - Investec Asset Management has strengthened its fixed income team with the appointment of Russell Silberston as a portfolio manager.

UK - Former chair of the European Federation of Retirement Provision and Watson Wyatt partner Alan Pickering has joined the board of trustees of the Pre-retirement Association.

UK - The Conservative party has proposed a range of pension incentives aimed at reversing the decline in savings in the UK.