AUSTRALIA - The median growth superannuation fund (61 to 80% growth assets) fell 1.5% in July on the back of weak share markets, research from Chant West shows.

ASIA - HSBC Securities Services (HSS) has launched a fund administration infrastructure and operating model in Asia to help pension funds and other clients increase transparency in light of volatile markets and regulatory scrutiny.

MEXICO - Mexican bank Grupo Financiero Banorte SAB has agreed to merge its pension fund with Afore XXI, the pension fund half owned by the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS) and Prudential.

US - The ETF market reached $1.4trn at the end of the first half as ETF growth continued, according to BlackRock's Industry Review H1 2011.

GLOBAL - The increasing visibility of retirement and benefit programmes at senior level within multinational companies has started a trend towards global oversight, said Mercer.

NETHERLANDS - Members of the Dutch union FNV Bondgenoten have voted against government pension proposals which they claim would shift risk from the employer entirely to the employee, claiming they would lead to a "casino retirement".

US - Fitch Ratings has rated the credit enhancement programmes (CEP) offered by California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS) and the California State Teachers' Retirement System (CalSTRS) "AAA" and "AA+", respectively.

State Street Global Advisors; Texas TRS; Deloitte; F&C Investments; RCM; The National Association of Pension Funds

NORWAY - The Government Pension Fund Global was up 0.3% in the second quarter after rising bond prices helped to offset drops in the global equities markets.

US - The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has charged a brokerage firm and its former executive with defrauding the pension funds of five Wisconsin school districts.