United Kingdom

UK - Employers must be allowed to increase their staff retirement age in order to ease the pensions crisis, Association of Consulting Actuaries chairman Adrian Waddingham claims.

UK - Baring Asset Management (BAM) says US bonds and equities are unattractive in the face of an approaching US presidential election.

UK - Pensions secretary Alan Johnson has denied the industry is in crisis and claims government policies have made provision by employers easier.

UK - Deutsche Asset Management is carrying out a restructuring of its business after losing around £3bn of pension fund mandates.

UK - Aon Consulting is considering ending a £3.5m contract with Profund Solutions.

UK - The Milk Pension Fund has awarded AXA Investment Managers a £33m segregated UK fixed income mandate.

UK - More than 95% of members who are automatically enrolled in defined contribution pension plans, but can choose to opt out, remain members, a new survey has revealed. But in plans where membership is voluntary, only 60% choose to join.

UK - Markus Ruetimann (pictured) has been appointed as head of operations, IT and Facilities, at Schroders.

UK - Shropshire County Council Pension Fund is tendering for up to three investment managers for its £150m UK equities portfolio.

UK - Mercer Human Resource Consulting has entered into an agreement with Greek management consulting firm PLANET S.A in a bid to expand services to clients in southeast Europe.