United Kingdom

UK - OPRA is hosting an exhibition stand at the third annual Employer Talk roadshow during June and July in a bid to spread its message to employers and advisers.

UK - HSBC has appointed Markus Herrmann as director, fixed income credit research, within its corporate, investment banking and markets business, starting June 2003.

UK - Demand for senior pension management staff is falling as dire economic conditions eat into company budgets.

UK - Govett Investment Management is developing a range of discretionary portfolios for smaller pension schemes.

SCOTLAND - A Bill that would give same-sex and unmarried long-term partners equal pensions rights as married couples has been lodged in the Scottish Parliament.

UK - SEI won six pension fund mandates during the first quarter worth a total of £267m.

UK - A growing number of people aged between 50 and 60 are opting to unlock their pensions, Close Wealth Management claims.

SCOTLAND - A Scottish engineering firm has been forced into receivership because of "an insurmountable deficit" in its pension fund.

UK - Pensioners are destined to live in poverty unless the government takes "drastic action" to rebuild confidence in funded pensions, Tories warn.

UK - Increased corporate bond portfolios will help schemes boost flagging valuations and improve their security.