News

US - The US$16.3bn Indiana Public Employees' Retirement Fund (PERF) has committed a further US$108.5m to private equity funds following a $270m commitment just four months ago.

NORWAY - The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) was amongst those warning Norway that yesterday's pension reforms would not alleviate unsustainable drains on the country's US$295bn fund.

UK - Pensions experts have dismissed chancellor Gordon Brown's decision to top up the Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS) to £8m in yesterdays budget as an admission of failure.

THE DEBT Management Office will issue £23.4bn of long-dated gilts and £15bn of index-linked gilts in 2007/ 2008, it has announced.

AUSTRALIA - The Labor Party's leader, Kevin Rudd, has announced plans to use money from the country's Future Fund to help finance an A$4.7bn scheme to set up a broadband network across the country.

More aid for failed pension schemes; 600,000 over 65s to be exempt from income tax

THE EXTENSION of the Financial Assistance Scheme announced in the budget is a "mean spirited" exercise in political spin, Ros Altmann has said.

Netherlands - Cardano has recruited ex-Hewitt senior investment consultant Kerrin Rosenberg to head its push into the UK.

FRESH proposals for cutting scheme red tape have been dubbed "Pickering II", by a leading consultant.

US - Efforts for "terror free" pension investment in the US have stepped up a level with senators beginning negotiations with oil and gas companies which have links to Iran.