Global

GLOBAL - The sustainability of the recent trends in national saving and investment rates in OECD countries has been called into question by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), both with respect to their levels and the balances...

BURMA - A group of financial heavyweights have joined forces to speak out against human rights abuses in Myanmar (Burma) and warn against possible dangers to shareholders.

GLOBAL - New business at Standard Life reached a record £8.3bn, an increase of 61% from £5.1bn on last year, of which £6.3bn came from the UK.

THE NETHERLANDS - ING Real Estate - the property investment arm of Dutch ING Group - is to acquire Spanish real estate firm Filo for approximately EUR266m.

GLOBAL - Only a quarter of investors are optimistic about the fortunes of property as an asset class, according to Baring, Houston & Saunders (B,H&S), a subsidiary of ING Real Estate.

GLOBAL - Equity markets will outperform bonds when the former embattled asset class bounces back next year, according to Dr Arnab Banerji, group CIO at F&C Management.

GLOBAL - Pictet Asset Management (PAM) has achieved compliance with the industry standard Performance Presentation Standards (PPS).

GLOBAL - Liberty Ermitage has teamed up with Standard Asset Management (SAM), a subsidiary of Standard Bank in South Africa, to launch the Standard Liberty Distressed Securities Hedge Fund.

GLOBAL - The Hedge Fund Association (HFA) , has announced its new board of directors. The international association covers hedge fund managers, service providers, and investors.

GLOBAL - Life insurance companies are being urged to tread cautiously into the pensions market following the post-September 11 market slump or risk "testing expenses" according to ratings agency Standard & Poor's (S&P).