News

UK - The Association of British Insurers (ABI) has rejected the idea that Solvency II regulations should include pensions, amid fresh rumours the EU is planning to harmonise pensions regulations to stop certain countries having more relaxed rules to attract...

NETHERLANDS - Universal Music Group (UMG) has sold some of its catalogues to ABP and CP Masters (CPM), a music publishers.

UK -The Pensions Regulator (TPR) is to get greater powers in the emerging pension buy-out market, making it easier to install independent trustees should it consider the interests of scheme members are at risk.

Having remained relatively untarnished by the sub-prime fallout, emerging market debt is looking increasingly good to many pension funds. Keren Holland reports

IRELAND - Pension fund administrators face greater scrutiny following the introduction of the Irish Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2008.

US - US public pension plans which find themselves with pension and post employment benefit deficits have been urged to hold back from simply issuing bonds to immediately achieve a 100% funding level.

CZECH REPUBLIC - The Czech government has provisionally approved sweeping changes to the country's pension system, designed to curb massive potential future deficits and reform the economy.

SWITZERLAND - Leading Swiss pensions experts have criticised the Federal government's decision to raise the minimum interest credit payment for pensioners by 25 basis points to 2.75% for 2008.

INDIA - India's New Pension Scheme (NPS) will initially allow members just two investment options - government securities alone or a 15/85% split between equities and fixed income.

Pensions regulator wins new powers on buy-outs; More agency staff rights will cost jobs, says CBI