United Kingdom

UK - Hewitt Bacon & Woodrow is urging the government to exclude money purchase schemes from any prescription arising out of the Myners Report.

UK - Web portal services provider The Exchange has processed over 100,000 new business transactions for IFAs via its Exweb product.

UK - Two London local authority pension schemes are increasing their investment in alternative asset classes.

UK - Winterthur Life is holding a series of roadshows for financial advisers on the effects of tax simplification.

UK - Marlborough Stirling's outsourcing deal with Gartmore Investment Management has been extended for another two years.

UK - Schroder Investment Management's interim pre-tax profits have more than doubled from £27.2m to £60.8m this year.

UK - HSBC Actuaries & Consultants is surveying fund managers to assess the effectiveness of their socially responsible investment and corporate governance strategies.

UK - Commercial property is continuing to outperform all other asset classes, research shows.

UK - Firms will be able to cut their health insurance premiums if staff work out regularly at the gym.

UK - Multi-manager funds will become one of the standard investment options DC schemes offer members, Threadneedle Investments predicts.