News

US - The California Public Employees' Retirement System said it plans to divest from eight companies with ties to Sudan and Iran, removing all investment ties to the troubled countries.

UK - Procurement of investment and actuarial services for local government schemes could be pushed into regional and national frameworks in a bid to harness efficiency savings, the government says.

Procurement of investment and actuarial services for local government schemes could be pushed into regional and national frameworks in a bid to harness efficiency savings, the government says.

Hundreds of pensioners are expected to meet their MPs in a mass lobby organised by AgeUK to protest about the accelerated equalisation of the state pension age.

UK - Standard Life's former managing director of corporate, Gerry O'Neill, has been suspended from his role at the firm.

Manager search activity increased in 2010 with emerging markets and alternative asset classes receiving most interest, research by Mercer reveals.

AUSTRALIA - Simple, low-cost financial advice should be incorporated into the MySuper default fund structure offered by superannuation funds to increase members' engagement with their pensions, according to Mercer.

NEW ZEALAND - KiwiSaver funds posted positive returns for the first quarter of 2011, with the meidan KiwiSaver growth fund returning 3.8% and the more conservative default median fund returning 1.6%, according to Mercer's KiwiSaver survey.

Pinsent Masons has appointed Carolyn Saunders as its head of its London pensions group replacing Christopher Berkeley.

An independent financial adviser has reported Legal & General to the Financial Services Authority for mis-representing the past performance of its High Income Trust by smoothing out volatile price movements.