Finland

FINLAND - The €27bn (US$34.6bn) Varma Mutual Pension Insurance Company has further reduced its investments in listed shares, MandateWire reports.

FINLAND - The government has proposed temporary measures to ease pressure on pension funds to sell shares into a slumping market.

FINLAND - Finland's State Pension Fund (VER) investments yielded a return of -6.4% in the first half of 2008, compared to 3.4% in the same period of 2007, the fund has announced.

FINLAND - The challenges of an ageing population and rising health costs are posing risks to the long term sustainability of Finland's public finances, the OECD's annual economic survey of the country has warned.

FINLAND - Aberdeen Property Investors has announced the investment of US$75m from the Finnish Local Government Pensions Institution (LGPI).

FINLAND - Finnish local government pensions institution, KEVA, and insurance company, Etera, have allocated to private equity.

FINLAND - The Finnish government has set up a pension forum to monitor and assess the implementation of reforms in the sector.

FINLAND - Private sector pension insurer Pension Fennia has increased its market share to 10.6%, up from 10.2% the previous year.

FINLAND - Tapiola Pension's investment income has dropped to 4.1% during 2007, down from 6.8% in 2006, despite all asset classes performing positively.

FINLAND - After an eleventh hour deal, a strike has been avoided by the Finnish National Opera (FNO) over a pay and pensions row.