News

Including: UK - Ashcroft quits regulator; NORWAY - Ernst & Young auditing award; UK - Aon chairman steps down after 12 years; UK - SPA launches multi-currency ETF trading; UK - Punter Southall appoints new principal

US - New York state comptroller Thomas DiNapoli and the New York City Pension Funds have been selected as co-lead plaintiffs in the Countrywide Financial Corporation securities class action because they incurred the greatest losses.

FRANCE - The annual Socially Responsible Investment (SRI) survey has demonstrated French institutional investors place a high value on 'green' and responsible investing with a heavy focus on the environment.

ABERDEEN Asset Management reported a 30pc increase in assets under management to £95.3bn in its final results, although it claimed this has now passed the £100bn mark.

AON CONSULTING'S UK business chairman Ron Amy is to retire from the post after 12 years with the firm.

NETHERLANDS - Pension Fund Atradius Netherlands (Stichting Pensioenfonds Atradius Nederland) has appointed Fortis Investments as its fiduciary manager.

Watson Wyatt has taken a initial 20% stake in South African consultancy, Fifth Quadrant, in its fourth major deal of the year.

Mercer has been appointed by the International Finance Corporation to carry out the first sustainability survey on emerging market investments.

SWITZERLAND - Pension funds emerged relatively unscathed from the summer's credit crunch, according to the ninth Swiss Institutional Survey run by Lusenti Partners.

Union members have protested that pension benefits will be cut at companies sold off by John Lewis Partnership.