Consultants and hedge fund managers have predicted increasing pension scheme allocations to the asset class, despite recent stiff criticism of perceived high fees and a lack of transparency.

Latest blog: The unleashing of €60bn (£45bn) a month of quantitative easing by the European Central Bank last week could mark trouble ahead for UK pension schemes, as greater demand for gilts pushes yields ever lower and liabilities higher.

As oil prices fall below $50 (£33) a barrel, investment experts have urged pension schemes to seize the opportunity to hedge their liabilities against inflation and heed the impact on their commodity markets exposure.

The April flexibilities could make the retirement savings of those in financial difficulty vulnerable to demands from creditors, with courts set to have their final say on whether a saver’s uncrystallised pot is open to a claim.

Manchester Airports Group will offer its 2,500 defined contribution scheme members flexible drawdown by the time April's pension freedoms kick in, allowing them to access their savings without having to leave the scheme.

Kent Pension Fund has driven down its overpayment write-offs by 75 per cent after the implementation of monthly mortality screening – as administration experts raise concerns about schemes’ data holes.

The government’s plan for a staged, opt-in approach to pensions consolidation has divided the industry, with some calling the proposals pragmatic while others say they weaken a policy that may not survive the general election. 

A round-up of the pensions industry stories published across the FT Group, from Chinese public sector pension reforms making waves, to a Dutch scheme withdrawing €4.2bn from hedge funds. 

The Merchant Navy Officers Pension Fund has said the use of a captive insurance company halved the cost of its £1.5bn longevity swap, and opened the door for smaller scheme derisking.