Regions

US/CANADA - North American institutional investors are routinely using equity derivatives as a method of obtaining desired exposures and hedging positions, according to Greenwich Associates.

INCLUDING: AUSTRALIA - Pioneer appoints sales and distribution head; US - State Street launches private equity index; NETHERLANDS - F&C strengthens local distribution

MOROCCO - Citi Markets & Banking is now providing direct custody and clearing services to clients in Morocco, bringing its network to 50 markets.

EUROPE - Pension funds already committed to alternatives consider the asset class mainstream, but those not yet invested there have little interest, according to data from JPMorgan Asset Management.

GLOBAL - Qantas has reached an ‘in principle' agreement with the Australian Services Union over pay, conditions and superannuation contributions.

INCLUDING: AUSTRALIA - UK - NAPF supports Solvency II position; AMP appoints head of credit markets; UK - Workers retire early

GLOBAL - A lack of innovation in design and unnecessarily restrictive regulations could be hampering pension funds, according to OECD deputy secretary general, Aart Jan de Geus.

EUROPE - Applying Solvency II legislation to pension funds would be inappropriate and unnecessary, according to speakers at the European Pension Funds Congress in Frankfurt yesterday.

GLOBAL - North American investors were again responsible for a fall in investor confidence this month from 82.0 to 74.3, according to State Street.

EUROPE - The implementation of the Institutions for Occupational Retirement Provision (IORP) Directive has caused "significant impact" across the EU, according to the European Federation for Retirement Provision (EFRP).