Pension fund returns hit new low in '07

Last year, the average pension fund posted growth of just 5.41pc, compared with 9.17pc in 2006 and 19.9pc in 2005. Average pension fund returns were the lowest since 2002, when the ongoing bear market led to average losses of 15.2pc. Richard Eagling, editor of Investment Life & Pensions Moneyfacts, said: "After enjoying four successive years of strong investment returns, most pension holders will have seen only modest gains to their policies during 2007. Only those pension savers who hold more aggressive funds investing in the Far East and global emerging markets will look back at the las...