Mercer

AUSTRALIA - Superannuation funds should introduce financial condition reports similar to those required for insurance companies, Mercer believes.

Institutional investors should undertake a "fundamental review" of equity portfolios amid concerns of a developed economies bias, a consultant says.

Defined benefit liabilities across the world are likely to have increased to record levels this year, research by Mercer warns.

GLOBAL - Defined benefit (DB) liabilities across the world are likely to have increased to record levels in 2010, research by Mercer warns.

GLOBAL - The next decade will see employers improving the spend-down phase of their DC schemes, research by Mercer predicts.

About two-thirds (65%) of buyout deals conducted in the first half of this year involved premiums of less than £10m, Mercer research finds.

EUROPE - Multinationals with defined contribution plans in Eastern Europe are starting to favour pan-European vehicles instead, John Hall, head of the international consulting practice for EMEA at Mercer said.

UK - ‘Beauty parades' used to hire traditional investment managers don't work with transition managers, said Andrew Williams, principal at Mercer Sentinel.

PricewaterhouseCoopers is to close its two defined benefit pension schemes to future accrual from next April.

Investors are betting on Japanese corporates. In a web debate sponsored by Nomura Asset Management, Global Pensions editor Raquel Pichardo-Allison speaks to Nomura investment specialist Peter Jenkins, Mercer principal Piers Bertlin and Hewitt Associates...