European Union

IRELAND - The National Pensions Reserve Fund (NPRF) will receive €280m (US$351.8m) worth of Allied Irish Bank (AIB) ordinary shares in lieu of a cash payment of this year's coupon.

Investors thought it was all over. But it's not.

Giovanni Legorano looks at how governments across Europe are reforming their pension systems following the economic crisis

SPAIN - The Spanish government is set to freeze state pensions for 2011 as part of a package of measures aimed at reducing the country's ballooning deficit and send a positive signal to markets.

GREECE/GLOBAL - Greece has pledged to undertake a pensions overhaul as part of the structural reforms agreed with its partners in the eurozone and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in exchange for a €110bn (US$144bn) rescue package.

European multi-asset strategies grew nearly 30% to a record €848bn (£746bn) of assets under management during 2009 due to investors' need for better risk diversification, a report from Cerulli Associates reveals.

In collaboration with Global Pensions, Data Explorers Consulting brings you the latest in global trends and analysis on securities lending. Ed Oliver explains how the Greece crisis has turned a spotlight on the shortselling of government bonds

US/EUROPE - US Treasury secretary Timothy Geithner has written to four European finance ministers urging them not to discriminate against foreign players in the alternative investment space as they continue negotiations on the Alternative Investment Fund...

SWEDEN/ISRAEL - Four of the buffer funds in the Swedish pay-as-you-go pension system have cut their ties with an Israeli defense company on ethical grounds.

EUROPE - The European asset management industry has called for the creation of a standardised pension product across Europe in order to boost personal savings.