Asia

GLOBAL - Global pension assets totalled US$29.5trn at year end 2009, up 14% from the previous year, according to a report by the International Financial Services London.

SOUTH KOREA/UK - The US private equity owner of Gatwick airport has confirmed that it will sell a 12% stake to South Korea's state pension fund.

TAIWAN - BNP Paribas Investment Partners will strengthen its asset management presence in Asia with a new joint venture in Taiwan.

JAPAN - Japanese pension funds will decrease their home equity bias in light of weak home-country equity returns, a consultant predicted.

AUSTRALIA/SOUTH KOREA - South Korea's National Pension Service, the nation's biggest investor, bought an office building in Sydney for A$685m (US$626m) to diversify its investments as Australia's economy strengthens.

Peter Jenkins of Nomura Asset Management looks at the long-term potential for gains in Japanese equities

As the year comes to a close, GP is taking a look back at the 10 most read features of 2009.

KOREA - Institutional investors with a combined US$2.5trn in assets under management have written Korea's Ministry of Justice asking it to refrain from introducing anti-takeover measures known as poison pills into its Commercial Code.

EUROPE/CENTRAL ASIA - Pension funds in Europe and Central Asia should provide pension increases in line with cost of living indexes instead of wages to make the systems more sustainable, the World Bank said.

Joseph Mariathasan explains how following a series of delays, India is set to launch its National Pension Scheme