US
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In depth
Bush’s Latin overtures
Washington is trying to make up for lost time
Principal content
Appeals court backs IBM in pension case
A US appeals court found in favour of IBM in a pension case in which it had been accused of age discrimination, a decision closely watched by other US companies.
GM seeks fresh concessions from workers
General Motors, gave notice that it will seek fresh concessions from its US workers and further cost savings from overseas operations as part of a more aggressive drive to stem heavy losses at the world’s largest carmaker.
Maryland puts health tax on big business
Big US companies faced the first employment tax aimed at plugging gaps in the public healthcare system after politicians in Maryland passed controversial “fair-share” legislation.
SEC calls for clarity in executive pay
Public companies in the US could have to provide investors with valuations of the pensions and stock options of senior executives as part of a far-reaching overhaul of the disclosure rules on executive pay by the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Executive pay to be new year’s hot topic
The acceleration of executive pay growth, coupled with outrage at big severance packages for some bosses, has pushed the issue to the top of investors’ concerns, even as US regulators have clamped down on breaches of its executive pay disclosure rules.
US pension accounting shift 'would hit equities'
Proposed changes to pension fund accounting in the US are likely to prompt a shift of investment away from equities and into bonds while speeding the demise of defined-benefit plans.
UK discovers the pluses and minuses of transparency
As the US moves gingerly towards introducing greater transparency - some would say reality - in pension accounting, a glance across the Atlantic gives a clear idea of the pitfalls and benefits that may be in store.
Benefits or bailout?
United Airlines has threatened to terminate its pension plan to allow it to recover from bankruptcy and some fear other companies may follow suit. Critics fear that attempts at reform could have unintended consequences.
America?s welfare dilemma
With companies trying to cap pension and health commitments, political pressure for government intervention is growing.
Time for the truth about public pension deficits
For either a corporate or public pension fund, volatility can be disquieting. But we pay a higher price for false security from fictive numbers, writes Orin Kramer, chair of New Jersey’s $70bn pension fund.
