In-depth research is a vital aspect of any fund selection process, whether for an institutional investor or a private client manager, but it can be very demanding in terms of time, cost and human resources. This is why Standard & Poor's offers clients the benefits of its expertise and its fund information resources to facilitate the process.
The process by which Standard & Poor's provides clients with fund shortlists and customised research is different from outsourcing the research function, since the selection of funds is carried out entirely according to parameters agreed with the client. The client, not Standard & Poor's, carries out the ultimate fund selection.
In addition, the composition of a funds shortlist is by no means confined to funds and management groups that have received a Fund Management Rating. While rated funds often constitute a good starting point, Standard & Poor's is ready to undertake research on non-rated funds, whether identified through the search criteria or specifically selected by the client.
Standard & Poor's ability to draw up a fund shortlist is not restricted to a particular national market or a fund domicile. On the contrary, a search for funds with the characteristics sought by the client can draw upon the global resources of its Fund Services division.
