North America

CANADA - Strong stock market returns and a slight rebound in long-term federal bond yields in the fourth quarter allowed Canadian pension plans to make up for most of the losses incurred in Q2, figures from Mercer show.

CANADA - Canadian Finance Minister Jim Flaherty said he and his provincial counterparts have agreed to create "pooled pensions" which will make it easier for small companies and the self-employed to participate in registered pension plans.

RBC completes BlueBay acquisition; State Street custody hire, Canada's OTPP invests in renewables

UK - Dutch manager Mn Services plans to sue Royal Bank of Scotland in the UK over losses relating to sub-prime mortgages and has been in discussions with other European schemes about joining the suit.

CANADA - The Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec has awarded C$25m ($24m) of financing to Riverbank Power following its merger with Symbiotics Energy.

US - The Teacher Retirement System of Texas' strong returns of 12.6% in the year ended September 30 has allowed the scheme to pay $9.7m in current and deferred bonuses to its staff.

CANADA - Caisse de Depot et Placement du Quebec, Canada's second biggest pension-fund manager, plans to boost staff at its private-equity unit by about 25% next year as it looks to increase investments in its home province.

CANADA - Employer-sponsored pension funds recorded their first decline in assets in more than a year in Q2, research shows.

UK/US/CANADA - A financial support direction issued by The Pensions Regulator against insolvent companies is an expense of the administration and must be complied with, the High Court has ruled.

CANADA - BTG Pactual has sold a $1.8bn stake to a group of international investors including the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan (OTPP).