Regions

GLOBAL - CDS IndexCo LLC, a consortium of 16 investment banks licensed as makers in the ABX and Dow Jones CDX indexes, and Markit Group Limited, have launched CMBX, a synthetic index of US commercial mortgage backed securities (CMBS).

AUSTRALIA: The A$800m Tasplan fund has highlighted concerns expressed by employers that they may be "inadvertently" failing to comply with recent superannuation legislation.

GLOBAL - Assets under management (AUM) at increased by 21% to e105bn in 2005, the company has reported.

GLOBAL - Two thirds of investment managers (65%) believe the effects of globalisation have a material impact on mainstream asset performance according to a survey by Mercer Investment Consulting (Mercer IC).

EUROPE - The e190bn Dutch Stichting Pensioenfonds ABP (ABP), and e48.4bn Danish Arbejdsmarkedets Tillaegpension (ATP) have joined forces with the current management team of Hemingway Properties to form a £500m joint venture company, Greenhills Real Estate....

GLOBAL - The Vanguard Group has launched a common contractual fund (CCF), with more than US$10bn in assets under management, in the pension pooling marketplace.

GLOBAL - Paul Griffiths (pictured), UK CEO of AXA Investment Managers, said the firm would not rule out further acquisitions post-Framlington, as the company today reported a 25% increase in assets under management to e432bn (£295bn) at year-end 2005....

GLOBAL - Credit Agricole Structured Asset Management (CASAM) has reported growth in assets under management of 22% (e423.2 bn) in 2005.

GLOBAL - Goldman Sachs Asset Management (GSAM) has made a raft of changes to its senior management, with Stephen Fitzgerald taking over as Europe and Asia head.

SOUTH AFRICA - The total value of unclaimed pensions could run into billions of Rands, the Financial Services Board (FSB) announced.