ratings

When Investment Week started life in 1995, the world of fund and product ratings was rather more modest in size than it is currently.

South-African firm Fundhouse has launched a fund ratings service for UK financial advisers, offering what it says are wholly unbiased and impartial comments on well-known funds.

Fund ratings agency FundCalibre has named five 'rising star' managers that have not yet made a big name for themselves in the industry, but are tipped to produce strong long-term investment returns.

Rayner Spencer Mills Research has expanded its fund research service to include ratings for multi-asset fund ranges and sustainable responsible investments.

S&P Capital IQ is set to close its fund research business at the end of Q1 after a strategic review, Investment Week understands.

Zurich UK Life has appointed Richard Romer-Lee's new consultancy firm to help with the launch of a new investment fund proposition for its intermediary platform in the coming year.

Duncan Goodwin, manager of the Martin Currie Global Resources fund, is to leave the firm at the end of the year.

City Financial plans to launch an independent fund research service in the spring for Peter Toogood and Gill Hutchinson.

Rayner Spencer Mills Research (RSMR) has added three new tools to its ratings service, including the ability to rate new funds with less than a year's track record.

Chelsea Financial Services and Albemarle Street Partners are to launch a fund rating service early next year, targeting consumers as well as advisers and rivalling a number of existing agencies.