North America

CANADA/GERMANY/US - The Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) has acquired holdings in a string of shopping centres in Germany and the US.

CANADA - The United Food and Commercial Workers Pension Plan has hired RBC Dexia Investor Services as custodian for its multi-employer pension plan.

GLOBAL - Have you missed the biggest stories in pensions this week? Find out below, as we list the top 10 most popular stories on www.globalpensions.com over the past seven days.

Despite delivering strong investment returns during 2010 the C$107bn ($112.6bn) Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan continues to face a C$17.2bn funding shortfall. Helen Morrissey speaks to OTPP's president and CEO Jim Leech about how the plan is addressing...

GLOBAL - Have you missed the biggest stories in pensions this week? Find out below, as we list the top 10 most popular stories on www.globalpensions.com over the past seven days.

US - The New York State Common Retirement Fund moved an international and domestic equity mandate to a global equity remit, according to the fund's February transaction report.

CANADA - The Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec has consolidated its real estate subsidiaries under the banner of the Ivanhoe Cambridge Group.

US - President Barack Obama, in his speech unveiling $4trn in budget cuts yesterday, said he wanted to avoid drastic cuts to Social Security, but that the system needs reform to strengthen it over the long haul.

US/UK - BP , whose share price has dropped 29% since last year's Gulf of Mexico oil spill, will face opposition from two of the US's largest pension funds at the company's annual general meeting tomorrow.

CANADA - The Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan (HOOPP) returned 13.68% in 2010, ending the year with C$35.7bn ($37.3bn) in net assets.