News

NORWAY - Norway's Government Pension Fund Global should reduce its weighting to Europe and will consider changes to its fixed income portfolio, finance minister Sigbjorn Johnsen said in a report to parliament today.

UK - Scheme sponsors are likely to follow BT and bring forward contribution dates before the 2% reduction in corporation tax rate kicks in, experts believe.

GLOBAL - Pictet Asset Management is to launch a pooled fund for institutional investors following growing client demand for environmental, social and governance opportunities.

The Radius Systems pension scheme has undertaken a full buyout with Rothesay Life in a deal below £100m.

US/CANADA - Searches for hedge fund managers and inflation-hedging strategies among North American institutions will dominate search activity in 2011, a new survey of consultants finds.

EUROPE - Jean Claude Trichet, the president of the European Central Bank, has defended yesterday's 25 basis point hike in interest rates as good for the eurozone, as EU leaders prepare for talks on the bailout of Portugal.

Switch to flat rate state pension may damage private sector schemes; BA pensioners to vote on link between inflation and income; ITN pension deficit hit £59.5m in 2010

ITM has made two senior appointments in response to substantial growth which has seen the consultant double its revenue and workforce in two years.

NETHERLANDS - Dutch pension plans believe fiduciary management will continue to grow but it remains a controversial strategy, new research shows.

B&CE has overhauled its EasyBuild Workplace Pension offering to offer a 0% annual management charge for the first year of auto-enrolment.