Denmark
Caroline Liinanki

Lærernes Pension, the DKr26bn (€3.5bn) Danish teachers’ pension fund, will increase its already significant investment in forestry by 50 per cent. The fund is also considering investing in forestry in eastern Europe.

Finland
Caroline Liinanki

Following recent market instability, Varma, the €28.7bn Finnish pension company, has significantly increased its bond holdings at the expense of equities and restructured its hedge fund portfolio. The fund has also made its first investments in commodities.

Spencer Anderson

Half of Nordic pension funds intend to increase their allocation to equities over the next six months, according to an nrpn survey.

Chris Newlands

Nordic investors care little about cost reduction and improving client service when it comes to their middle and back office operations and more about reducing operational risk, according to the findings of a Bank of New York Mellon white paper.

Danish consultancy Kirstein Finans has appointed Jens Lohfert Jørgensen as head of investment consultancy. He replaces Lars Hermann, who has become key account manager at the firm. Mr Lohfert Jørgensen previously worked as director at Agroinvest. Prior to that, he was head of investments at Landbrugsrådet, the Agricultural Council of Denmark.

With the best intentions, the four Swedish buffer funds have so far been unsuccessful in meeting their target of changing the ethics of at least three to five companies. Caroline Liinanki finds out why

After a less than buoyant year, VER will increase its exposure to alternatives but is not making any drastic moves for 2008, writes Caroline Liinanki

Just as Icelandic investors thought the country’s interest rates could not get any higher, the central bank raised them to a European high of 15.5 per cent. Spencer Anderson investigates what lies ahead

After lengthy debate, the Norwegian government buffer fund has signalled its intention to invest in property for the first time, writes Caroline Liinanki

Nordic funds’ hunger for emerging markets and alternatives shaped the first quarter of 2008, writes Spencer Anderson

Danish fund Sampension is diversifying and will drop its weighty bond allocation for more flexible investments, writes Caroline Liinanki

After a lacklustre year, the Icelandic General Pension Fund is convinced private equity is the way to go, writes Caroline Liinanki

After strengthening its Nordic position last year by acquiring a Finnish asset manager, Danske Capital is optimistic about the future, but is also well aware of its limitations in the market. Caroline Liinanki speaks to CEO Niels-Ulrik Mousten about plans for the future

Low exposure to equities among Nordic investors compared to their US and UK peers has shielded them from any major damage, writes Christine Senior

The assumption that any investment in Russia should be into its oil and gas reserves could not be further from the truth, Caroline Liinanki investigates

While it was partly shielded from the credit crunch, investors are still wary of Russia’s instability, writes Caroline Liinanki

James Norman and Colm O’Cinneide of DB Advisors reveal how risk-based indexing offers an alternative method of passive index investing