http://www.europeanpensions.net/ep 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 http://www.europeanpensions.net/ep/models-indicate-Euro-breakup-would-bring-40-drop-in-equities.php http://www.europeanpensions.net/ep/models-indicate-Euro-breakup-would-bring-40-drop-in-equities.php 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 http://www.europeanpensions.net/ep/Global-pension-fund-assets-grow-by-4pc.php http://www.europeanpensions.net/ep/Global-pension-fund-assets-grow-by-4pc.php 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 http://www.europeanpensions.net/ep/abp-cuts-pensions-with-0.5pc.php http://www.europeanpensions.net/ep/abp-cuts-pensions-with-0.5pc.php Portuguese pension funds achieved an average return of two per cent in January, thanks to positive returns on bonds and equities, Mercer said http://www.europeanpensions.net/ep/portuguese-funds-return-2pc-in-january.php http://www.europeanpensions.net/ep/portuguese-funds-return-2pc-in-january.php Investor confidence globally fell from 94.5 to 92.4 over the month of January, according to the State Street Investor Confidence Index http://www.europeanpensions.net/ep/investor-confidence-index-falls-to-924-in-january.php http://www.europeanpensions.net/ep/investor-confidence-index-falls-to-924-in-january.php 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 http://www.europeanpensions.net/ep/News-in-brief-30-January.php http://www.europeanpensions.net/ep/News-in-brief-30-January.php 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 http://www.europeanpensions.net/ep/employees-should-be-offered-security-pension-aegon.php http://www.europeanpensions.net/ep/employees-should-be-offered-security-pension-aegon.php 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 http://www.europeanpensions.net/ep/Economic-confidence-grows-in-the-EU-and-euro-area.php http://www.europeanpensions.net/ep/Economic-confidence-grows-in-the-EU-and-euro-area.php 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 http://www.europeanpensions.net/ep/Appointments-Update-30-January.php http://www.europeanpensions.net/ep/Appointments-Update-30-January.php 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” http://www.europeanpensions.net/ep/aviva-sells-czech-hungarian-and-romanian-businesses-to-metlife.php http://www.europeanpensions.net/ep/aviva-sells-czech-hungarian-and-romanian-businesses-to-metlife.php Mercer has signed a definite agreement to acquire Norwegian-based investment and pension consulting firm Pensjon & Finans http://www.europeanpensions.net/ep/mercer-acquires-norwegian-consulting-firm.php http://www.europeanpensions.net/ep/mercer-acquires-norwegian-consulting-firm.php Mercer has signed an agreement to acquire Pension & Finans subject to regulatory approval. The arrangement will give the existing clients of Pension & Finans access to Mercer’s broad range of services which include global investment consulting. http://www.europeanpensions.net/ep/News-in-brief-23-January.php http://www.europeanpensions.net/ep/News-in-brief-23-January.php 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 http://www.europeanpensions.net/ep/eiopa-plans-first-impact-studies-for-holistic-balance-sheet-approach.php http://www.europeanpensions.net/ep/eiopa-plans-first-impact-studies-for-holistic-balance-sheet-approach.php Long-term European funds experienced outflows of more than €23bn in December and €119bn in 2011 according to a Morningstar research report http://www.europeanpensions.net/ep/Investors-scared-away-from-long-term-European-funds-in-2011.php http://www.europeanpensions.net/ep/Investors-scared-away-from-long-term-European-funds-in-2011.php Northern Trust has appointed Olivier Noel as deputy managing director of its Luxembourg Management Company which provides fund administration services to clients. Noel will be responsible for product development and new business integration http://www.europeanpensions.net/ep/Appointments-update-23-January.php http://www.europeanpensions.net/ep/Appointments-update-23-January.php 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 http://www.europeanpensions.net/ep/deutsche-post-to-appeal-ec-ruling-on-returning-state-aid.php http://www.europeanpensions.net/ep/deutsche-post-to-appeal-ec-ruling-on-returning-state-aid.php Investors’ risk aversion has emerged as a clear theme in the European Association for Investors in Non-listed Real Estate Vehicles’ (INREV) latest investment intentions survey http://www.europeanpensions.net/ep/flight-to-safety-among-non-listed-property-investors.php http://www.europeanpensions.net/ep/flight-to-safety-among-non-listed-property-investors.php Equity investors could potentially reap rewards from the eurozone crisis, the level of uncertainty over the US path to recovery and the inflationary outlook for emerging markets according to SKAGEN funds http://www.europeanpensions.net/ep/Investors-could-reap-rewards-from-macroeconomic-uncertainty.php http://www.europeanpensions.net/ep/Investors-could-reap-rewards-from-macroeconomic-uncertainty.php Switzerland has made a balanced recovery from the financial crisis, but external factors are threatening the recovery for the near term, according to the OECD’s latest Economic Survey of Switzerland http://www.europeanpensions.net/ep/external-factors-threaten-swiss-recovery-oecd.php http://www.europeanpensions.net/ep/external-factors-threaten-swiss-recovery-oecd.php Institutional investors are calling for a higher degree of overall risk management for their portfolios as more than a third (38 per cent) plan to increase target allocations in hedge funds over the next 12 months according to new findings by SEI http://www.europeanpensions.net/ep/Investors-call-for-improved-risk-strategy-advice.php http://www.europeanpensions.net/ep/Investors-call-for-improved-risk-strategy-advice.php The Swiss fund market experienced net inflows in December driven by strong growth in assets placed in commodities funds, funds of hedge funds, and private equity funds, according to new statistics from the Swiss Funds Association http://www.europeanpensions.net/ep/swiss-funds-see-net-inflows-in-december.php http://www.europeanpensions.net/ep/swiss-funds-see-net-inflows-in-december.php Proposals to apply a Solvency II-type regime to occupational pensions have been firmly rejected by the European Association of Paritarian Institutions (AEIP) http://www.europeanpensions.net/ep/aeip-rejects-solvency-II-regime-for-occupational-pensions.php http://www.europeanpensions.net/ep/aeip-rejects-solvency-II-regime-for-occupational-pensions.php J.P. Morgan Asset Management has announced that Andy Lloyd has joined the firm as a senior institutional client adviser for the Nordic region. Lloyd will be responsible for continuing to build the company’s institutional presence in the region and joins from Alfred Berg/BNP Paribas Investment Partners where he was head of Nordic alternative sales and Danish institutional sales http://www.europeanpensions.net/ep/Appointments-update-16-January.php http://www.europeanpensions.net/ep/Appointments-update-16-January.php The publication of revised guidance for defined benefit schemes in deficit has been delayed, the Irish Pensions Board has announced http://www.europeanpensions.net/ep/Irish-pensions-board-announces-delay-in-DB-deficit-guidelines.php http://www.europeanpensions.net/ep/Irish-pensions-board-announces-delay-in-DB-deficit-guidelines.php Three of the five big Dutch pension funds will cut pension payments next year, if their financial position does not improve this year http://www.europeanpensions.net/ep/dutch-pension-funds-might-have-to-cut-benefits.php http://www.europeanpensions.net/ep/dutch-pension-funds-might-have-to-cut-benefits.php New statistics have revealed that 55% of CFA Institute members in the European Union and Switzerland think that the introduction of stability bonds among euro area member states would alleviate the sovereign debt crisis http://www.europeanpensions.net/ep/55pc-of-CFA-members-support-use-of-stability-bonds-to-reduce-debt.php http://www.europeanpensions.net/ep/55pc-of-CFA-members-support-use-of-stability-bonds-to-reduce-debt.php