Global

GLOBAL - Japan's economy will be the hardest hit by population ageing among advanced countries, according to the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) latest World Economic Outlook report.

GLOBAL - Total assets at the world's largest pension funds grew by 19% to US$6.6trn during 2003, according to research by global consulting firm Watson Wyatt.

GLOBAL - Mutual fund company Oppenheimerfunds Inc (OFI) is branching out into the European market as part of a wider push to establish a global presence as a full service asset manager.

GLOBAL - Turkish asset management firm Finans Portfoy and Dow Jones Indexes have launched Turkey's first exchange-traded fund.

UK - Morley Fund Management and Parkridge Developments have teamed up to launch a central European distribution warehousing parks fund.

GLOBAL - Multinational corporations are moving towards centralised control and cross-border pensions, says Mercer Investment Consulting.

GLOBAL - International fund research and fund-of-funds manager Forsyth Partners has opened its first office in South Africa.

GLOBAL - Global consulting firm Watson Wyatt has found that the shift to specialised management and growth in core-satellite approaches have not increased fund manager fees, contrary to popular perception and fees across all asset classes and regions...

GLOBAL - International financial investment group Platinum Capital Management is launching a new hedge fund with a focus on producing consistent absolute returns and low volatility in all market conditions.

GLOBAL - The total asset value of the 313 exchange traded funds (ETFs) world-wide at the end of August was US$240bn (e195bn), according to financial adviser Morgan Stanley.