North America

CANADA/UK - The board of car parts manufacturer Tomkins has backed the 325p per share cash offer from Onex and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) despite strong opposition from shareholder Standard Life Investments.

US/CANADA - Shareholders of US-based technology company SonicWALL approved a US$717m acquisition deal involving the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan.

CANADA - Canadian pension funds lost 3.2% in the second quarter, but a weak dollar helped shield against even steeper falls in the international equity markets, according to data by RBC Dexia Investor Services.

US - The California State Teachers' Retirement System posted returns of 12.3% for the year ended June 30 but said losses from the financial crisis remain on the books.

US - The American International Group has agreed to pay US$725m to settle a class action suit brought by three Ohio pension funds alleging bid-rigging, stock price manipulation and accounting fraud.

CANADA/UK - The Canada Pension Plan Investment Board and Onex, Canada's biggest publicly traded buyout firm, are examining Tomkins' accounts after signalling they may bid about £2.9bn ($4.4bn) for the British maker of auto parts and window frames.

UK - UK private equity firm Candover Investments has confirmed that talks over its sale to a Canadian pension fund have broken down after three months.

AUSTRALIA/CANADA - The Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) has bid A$3.5bn (US$3.1bn) for Macquarie-backed Australian toll road operator Intoll Group.

US - States may face increased retirement- fund deficits and pressure to stop skipping pension contributions under proposals being reviewed by the Governmental Accounting Standards Board.

UK/CANADA - The UK's Pensions Regulator has issued a Financial Support Direction against companies in the Canada-based Nortel grou,p requiring them to provide support for the UK scheme, which had a £2.1bn (US$3.1bn) shortfall on a buyout basis.