News

UK - Hermes Focus Asset Management Europe HFAME has appointed a new investment director for its European Focus Fund.

US - Claymore Securities has launched a Sudan-free exchange traded fund (ETF) on the American Stock Exchange.

UK - Watson Wyatt has lost a contract with Royal Liver to Mercer Investment Consulting, Global Pensions can exclusively reveal.

LAWRENCE CHURCHILL has been reappointed as chairman of the Pension Protection Fund (PPF) for a further three years.

GERMANY - A social tax exemption for deferred compensation plans will be extended beyond 2008.

UK - JPMorgan Worldwide Securities Services has secured five custody mandates from small pension funds.

US - An independent auditor's report has criticized the behaviour of two senior officers at Kentucky Retirement Systems (KRS)

UBS Global Asset Management has confirmed Southwark Council will rent a property development in London Bridge for £7.5m a year.

PAYDEN & RYGEL has launched a Central and Eastern European equity fund exclusively for pension schemes and other institutional investors.

GLOBAL - Mercer Investment Consulting (Mercer IC) experienced a drop in the number of manager searches it conducted in Europe excluding the UK, as well as in the US, during 2006, but denied any loss of business.