ABP will most likely be cutting pensions in payments and pension promises by 0.5 per cent from 1 April 2013, in order to improve the funding level by the end of 2013, the Dutch civil service pension fund has announced.

The possible pension cuts will depend on the financial position of the fund at the end of this year. The temporary rise in pension premiums of one per cent will rise to three per cent, which is applicable from 1 January 2012 until at least the end of 2013

Portuguese pension funds achieved an average return of two per cent in January, thanks to positive returns on bonds and equities, Mercer said

If the eurozone were to break up, the most favourable option would be for Greece to leave, while a complete breakup would have the most severe consequences, according to SunGard

All Dutch pension funds and insurance companies should be legally obliged to offer a ‘security pension’ as one of their product offerings, to give every employee the possibility of a secure pension, insurance company Aegon stated in a position paper to the government

Global institutional pension fund assets in the 13 major markets grew by four per cent during 2011 despite pension fund balance sheets weakening according to Towers Watson

Investor confidence globally fell from 94.5 to 92.4 over the month of January, according to the State Street Investor Confidence Index

After having received 170 responses to their consultation on the review of the IORP Directive, the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) is planning quantative impact studies (QIS) for its ‘holistic balance sheet’ proposal, the association’s president Gabriel Bernardino said

Insurance group Aviva has announced the sale of Aviva Czech Life, Aviva Hungary Life and Aviva Romania Life & Pensions to MetLife, as it pursues its strategy of focusing on markets where it has “strength and scale”

Mercer has signed a definite agreement to acquire Norwegian-based investment and pension consulting firm Pensjon & Finans

Economic sentiment has risen by 1.2 points in the EU and by 0.6 points in the euro area, the European Commission’s latest indicators for January have revealed

Mail and logistics group Deutsche Post has confirmed it will appeal a European Commission ruling which would require it to return € 500m to € 1bn in state aid

MSCI has announced the launch of the next-generation Barra Global Equity Model (GEM3).GEM3 incorporates extended coverage to 22 frontier markets, full daily updates, and the latest advances in risk methodology to help fund managers construct,manage and analyse global equity portfolios

The European Private Equity and Venture Capital Association (EVCA) has announced the appointment of Emma Thorpe as head of communications. She will be responsible for EVCA’s public relations and membership communications

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