North America

US - Research Affiliates has partnered with Russell Investments to launch a range of fundamental indices in a move that could help it increase its foothold in the US market, Global Pensions has learned.

NETHERLANDS/CANADA - Stichting Pensioenfonds ABP (ABP) and Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System (OMERS) have launched an investment programme which will allocate €200m (US$246m) in Dutch and Canadian start-up companies.

US - California Public Employees' Retirement System (Calpers) has joined a group of Lehman Brothers creditors with more than US$14bn in claims against the failed investment bank.

US - The California Public Employees' Retirement System (Calpers) lost US$284.6m in value as the largest oil spill in U.S. history erased more than US$1.4bn from BP shares held by 42 state retirement accounts, data compiled by Bloomberg shows.

US - Institutional investors have written to the White House expressing their concern over an amendment to the Wall Street reform bill.

US - The California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS) has paid £106m (US$155m) to acquire a 12.7% stake in London Gatwick Airport from Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP).

US - California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's administration has reached a tentative agreement with state employee unions over pension reforms.

US - The Securities and Exchange Commission has proposed new rules around the marketing and advertising of target date funds meant to prevent investors from being ‘misled' when deciding to invest.

GLOBAL - BP will not pay dividends for the remainder of the year as it has to put us$20bn in a compensation fund for victims of the Gulf oil spill.

US/UK - Financial legislation pending in the US threatens to overwhelm, emasculate, and undermine independence of the Securities & Exchange Commission, according to the watchdog's former chairman.