Reuters Amsterdam – For Dutch pension fund ABP, Michael Jackson’s death could be good for business.

The passing of the man called "King of Pop" last week has created a run on his music, which is partly owned by Dutch state pension fund ABP. It is the world’s third-largest state pension fund after Japan’s and Norway’s.

"There are always certain songs that for whatever reason, in this case tragic, suddenly become very popular. The last fact is a basis for the investment," an ABP spokesman said.

ABP bought two music catalogues last year, including the rights to some Michael Jackson songs like "You Are Not Alone," according to the website of Imagem Music Group, which manages the music assets for ABP.

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Times Online – The European Parliament will support calls tomorrow for Europe-wide legislation aimed at making the inner workings of hedge funds and private equity more transparent.

The proposals – championed by Poul Nyrup Rasmussen, the Socialist MEP and a former Danish Prime Minister – call for clear rules for these financial players, whose influence on the economic landscape is increasing.

MEPs want the European Commission to present, before the end of the year, legally binding minimum transparency rules on how investments are financed. These rules would also cover the qualifications of managers, possible conflicts of interest, registration of hedge funds and disclosure of ownership structures.

Peter Skinner, a Labour MEP and the party’s spokesman on financial services, said yesterday: “Current self-regulation attitudes are not enough to arrive at satisfactory conclusions, especially in the light of the current crisis. This is an important step to tackle current problems, including lack of transparency.”

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