AUSTRALIA - Australian super savers can look forward to their pension funds recording growth for the first time in three years when they open up their statements over the next few months, consultancy Chant West said.

Alison Swersky looks at the growing involvement of pension funds in the arena of microfinance

GLOBAL - Private equity funds have recovered from some of the heaviest losses of the global downturn, research has shown.

US - Institutional investors have written to the White House expressing their concern over an amendment to the Wall Street reform bill.

US - The Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) has reported record investment returns of 35% for the full financial year.

NEW YORK - New York State comptroller Thomas DiNapoli has warned the state legislature against making a raid on the New York State Common Retirement Fund (CRF) in a desperate attempt to reach a budget deal.

SWEDEN - A cross-party task force looking into pension reform in Sweden has decided to rule out merging the country's four largest pension buffer funds into one super SEK800bn (US$102.45bn) pot.

US - The credit ratings agency Fitch has warned that the potential for steep pension funding increases over the next two to three years could be crippling for US sponsors with underfunded plans.

CANADA - The Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec has said that chief financial officer and executive vice president Ghislain Parent has left the firm following an extended period of sick leave.

US - A US bus and rail authority has sued BP to try and recover losses on the oil firm's shares following an oil rig explosion in April.