Cross-border European property funds continued their recovery in 2011, spurred on by underlying direct property market returns of 6.8%, according to the latest IPD Pan-European Property Fund Index figures.

GLOBAL - The Investment Company Institute (ICI) has launched ICI Global, a London-based trade association focused exclusively on globally active funds - including regulated US and non US funds.

NORWAY - The Ministry of Finance has confirmed that Martin Skancke has resigned his position as head of the department overseeing the Government Pension Fund Global.

UK - Investors should stock their portfolio with 5% gold in order to best overcome the effects of both inflation and deflation, according to new research by Oxford Economics. World Gold Council.

SWEDEN - Actively managed Sweden funds fail to live up to expectations and are outperformed by passive index funds, according to the results of new research carried out by students at Uppsala University and reported by Affärsvärlden.

SWEDEN - Sweden's government has confirmed it will not seek to change the law to stop mass fund switching within the Premium Pension system (PPM).

SWEDEN - The Swedish Investment Fund Association (Fondbolagens Förening) has hit back at research suggesting pension investors are often unaware of the charges they are paying.