United Kingdom

UK - Schemes must not rely on "flawed" quantitative models to help them make investment decisions, Escher UK Asset Management warned.

UK - Standard Life Investments has appointed Graeme Orr as investment director within its fixed income team.

UK - Beleaguered steel giant Corus will have to increase contributions to its pension schemes, after an estimated £1bn was wiped off their value, analysts predict.

UK - Isis Asset Management is urging Chancellor Gordon Brown to rethink new tax rules for ISA and personal equity plan managers.

UK/EUROPE - State Street Global Advisors has appointed Jill Iacono to senior marketing manager for its London-based cash management team.

UK - Car giant BMW has revealed a £418m deficit in its £3.2bn UK final salary scheme despite moving over half of its assets into bonds two years ago.

UK - Insight Investment has appointed Andrew Cawker to the new role of specialist institutional UK equity fund manager.

UK - Many people find it difficult to save for retirement, which these days can last for more than 20 years, says Mary Davies, director at the Pre-Retirement Association.

UK - Pensions law stalwart Harry Sacker, the founding member of Sacker & Partners, has died.

UK - Investors should look to smaller US banks for solid investment opportunities, Hiscox Investment Management says.