NETHERLANDS -- Dutch pension funds showed a collective return of investments of 9.5%, totalling €48.6bn, in 2004, according to the pensions regulator, De Nederlandse Bank (DNB).

The industry-wide pension funds posted an overall return of 4.8%, or €34bn, company schemes 8.8%, or €14bn, and occupational pension funds for a gain of €1bn, it added.

“The difference in the pace of growth is caused by the larger rise of the average invested assets of the company pension funds in 2004”, the DNB said.

In 2003, the Dutch schemes returned a total of €46bn, up from a negative yield of €35.3bn during the previous year. In 1999, the joint pension funds earned €66.7bn.