France

FRANCE/BELGIUM - BNP Paribas has come a step closer to acquiring Fortis Holdings after it reached a deal with the Belgian government that would see it buy Fortis in a cash and shares deal.

FRANCE - BNP Paribas has become the latest financial institution to scale back its pension team.

FRANCE - BNP Paribas has backtracked on a statement made Wednesday by Michel Anastassiades, global chief executive of subsidiary FundQuest, about the state of negotiations over the Fortis acquisition.

FRANCE- BNP Paribas believes Fortis shareholders who blocked its acquisition of the troubled bank have changed their stance and BNP will be able to successfully negotiate a deal by the March 6 deadline.

FRANCE- BNP Paribas Investment Partners (BNPP IP) has added two deputy chief executives to its top management line-up.

FRANCE - The Fonds de reserve pour les retraites (FRR) has reported a 24.8% decline in its performance during 2008.

FRANCE - The Fonds de Réserve pour les Retraite (FRR), France's pension reserve fund, has awarded a €1bn (US$1.3bn) European equity mandate to Barclays Global Investors (BGI).

FRANCE - State pension fund Fonds de Réserve pour les Retraites (FRR) has selected EIRIS to provide extra-financial risk analysis services for its €34bn (US$54bn) global equity portfolio.

FRANCE - More than half of French workers doubt they will have an adequate pension, according to research by French national pension fund Caisse nationale d'assurance-vieillesse (CNAV).

FRANCE - National pension fund Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations (CDC) has been authorised to act as a sovereign wealth fund-like (SWF) vehicle to protect strategic French assets from predatory foreign investors.