United Kingdom

UK - High street banks should pay a one-off windfall tax to compensate workers who have lost their pensions through company insolvency, unions claim.

UK - NAPF CONFERENCE - The FSA has found "some" evidence of market timing among UK fund management firms, keynote speaker John Tiner (pictured) told delegates.

UK - The Pensions Compensation Board is imposing its first levy on schemes for seven years after receiving a "significant" number of claims.

UK - Software provider Dustan Thomas has launched a package which, it claims, will allow pension providers to handle customer queries better.

UK - Many employers increased pension scheme contributions by almost 30% last year, new independent research shows.

UK - The property bubble is unlikely to burst in the short-term, a leading property fund manager claims. But Aberdeen Property Investors says growth may fall short of levels seen over 2003 if "investors' appetite becomes satisfied and interest rates continue...

UK - The pensions advisory service OPAS and the ombudsman bureau should be scrapped to simplify complaints procedures, law firm Pinsents claims.

UK - Henderson Global Investors has borrowed £178.8m to increase its commercial property stronghold in mainland Europe.

UK - Women typically receive pensions worth 60% less than men, research from the Transport & General Workers' Union has discovered.

UK - Property Fund Management and the Singapore-based asset manager GIC Real Estate have launched a UK industrial property fund, aimed at institutional investors.