Belgium

BELGIUM - The Dutch ministry of social affairs and employment has denied there is a hostile row between Belgium and the Netherlands because of Belgium's status as the sole host for pan-European pension funds.

BELGIUM - The Belgian municipality of Brecht has tendered a €2.4m (£1.8m) mandate for a new pension fund.

BELGIUM - The KBC pension fund has adopted a liability driven investment (LDI) solution provided by its parent KBC Asset Management.

BELGIUM - Hewitt Associates has been contracted by the Belgian construction sector to develop an administration system for its pension scheme, pensioB.

BELGIUM - Belgian pension fund returns fell by 6.2% to 8.76% over 2006, compared to their 2005 performance of 14.96%.

BELGIUM - Pension funds have reacted with scepticism to a suggestion by the Belgian Association of Pension Institutions (ABIP) chairman that they invest in the multi-billion euro transportation works in Antwerp, citing a hesitance to be tied down long...

BELGIUM - The arrival of the institutional SICAV (société d'investissement à capital variable) vehicle in Belgium could see pension funds and asset managers competing directly against one another.

BELGIUM - Herd mentality is a significant problem in the Belgian pension fund industry and it is essential that liability streams be used as the basis for asset allocation, said Philip Neyt, chairman of the Belgian Association of Pensions Institution...

BELGIUM - KBC Asset Management is to launch an LDI product "around February" that will target Belgian and Dutch pension funds.

BELGIUM - Pension fund demand for SRI is set to increase significantly in Belgium despite the fact they have thus far failed to convert their words into action, said Peter de Proft, CEO for Belgium at Fortis Investments.