United Kingdom

UK - UK-based pension fund investment in infrastructure projects are set to increase rapidly following the National Grid Transco deal, Macquarie Bank predicts.

UK - Schemes have echoed union concerns that pensions for executives are outstripping benefits for other staff.

UK - Prime minister Tony Blair is making pensions a top priority in the run up to the next general election.

UK - Unions have hit back at the Confederation of British Industry's calls for less militancy over pensions.

UK - Retail companies are increasingly using flexible benefits to differentiate themselves from competitors, new research shows.

UK - The women's IFA Group is inviting nominations for its third IFA Woman of the Year Award.

UK - The £980m Environment Agency Pension Funds is looking for sevenspecialist managers to replace its current balanced management structure.

UK - Huntswood Outsourcing has become the first financial services company to be awarded an accreditation for making its website accessible for the blind.

UK - Mercer Human Resource Consulting is hosting a range of courses and seminars for trustees and scheme managers during September and October.

UK - Russian equities will start to outperform once uncertainty caused by the governmentís battle with oil giant Yukos has been resolved, Pictet Asset Management claims.