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NETHERLANDS - The pension fund for food manufacturer Hero has completed a €44m ($58m) buy-in deal, the first of its kind in the Netherlands.

JAPAN - Japanese finance minister Yoshihiko Noda said the government hasn't decided to maintain its 50% pension obligation next year after media reports said it has secured funds to meet the payouts.

NETHERLANDS - Assets at Dutch pension fund Stichting Shell Pensioenfonds have reach €17bn according to recently released figures.

NETHERLANDS - Pensions and insurance provider Aegon is to cut 5% of its US workforce as part of its latest restructuring plan.

US - Kentucky Retirement System (KRS) has appointed Timothy "T.J." Carlson as chief investment officer (CIO).

GLOBAL - Investor confidence in Europe and the US increased to 97.5 in November, its highest reading since April.

LITHUANIA - The Lithuanian Association of Pension Fund Participants is suing the country's government for reducing contributions to its private pension system.

EUROPE - Institutional investors' still wrongly define green investing and socially responsible investment despite growing demand for the two themes, a European-wide survey says.

Institutional investors appetite for sustainable investment is significant but many still wrongly defined green investing and socially responsible investment, a European survey says.