CANADA - Canadian pensions marked their lowest quarterly returns since the start of the financial crisis on the back of world-wide market uncertainty, said RBC Dexia.

Northern Trust; HOOPP; LACERA; PRUPIM; Blackstone Group; Towers Watson; State Street; F&C; CalPERS; Natixis

US - A new study finds New York City's defined benefit (DB) pension plans can deliver the same retirement income as a defined contribution (DC) plan at almost 40% less costs.

AUSTRALIA - Australian superannuation fund, NGS Super has launched a new social media strategy using Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to engage with members.

GLOBAL - Have you missed the biggest stories in pensions this week? Find out below, as we list the top 10 most popular stories on www.globalpensions.com over the past seven days.

Opportunities are opening up for institutional investors looking to invest in green bonds as a new certification scheme is due to launch next month, and State Street brings a new green bond fund to market today.

GLOBAL - Opportunities are opening up for institutional investors looking to invest in green bonds as a new certification scheme is due to launch next month, and State Street brings a new green bond fund to market today.

US - Laurence Fink, chairman and chief executive of BlackRock, said billions of assets could flow into perpetual preferred shares issued by European banks looking to recapitalise as they face more stringent capital requirements.

US - The board of the California Public Employees' Retirement System renewed the contracts of the 16 external managers responsible for its $123.3bn global equity portfolio.

Baring Asset Management appoints COO, Oregon State Treasury, ING Investment Management, State Street, Wurts & Associates, Alaska Permanent Fund Corp., Pramerica, PIMCO, Pioneer Investments, Aegon