• Standard Life’s GARS drops out of top three for first time

As 2017 draws to a close, FE takes a look at the funds that have piqued adviser interest and those which have fallen out of favour on FE Analytics, the leading investment research and analysis tool.

Alexander Darwall’s Jupiter European Fund has taken the top spot for the first time ever, with last year’s winner, Standard Life’s Global Absolute Return Strategies (GARS), falling down to sixth place – marking the first time that it has not featured in the top three most researched funds since 2011.

Jupiter European led the pack by some way this year with advisers researching the fund 47% more than the next most researched fund, Fundsmith Equity.  The Jupiter fund was awarded the maximum five FE Crown rating at the last ratings rebalance and features in the FE Approved List.

Tanvi Kandlur, FE analyst comments: “FE Alpha Manager, Alexander Darwall has built up an impressive track record in European equity investing.  The reason for its popularity among advisers is likely down to the fund’s strong performance this year. Over a one-year period (as of 18th Dec), Jupiter European is the best performing fund in the IA Europe ex-UK sector. Darwall’s style of investing in high-quality companies with growth potential can weather various market environments. The strategy has demonstrated that it can consistently add alpha over the long-term through superior stock picking.”

Standard Life’s GARS was removed from the FE Approved List in September 2016 and Charles Younes, FE research manager comments: “This result is not really surprising given the poor performance recorded by the fund over the last three years. The fund is about to record two consecutive years of negative performance, which leaves the performance significantly below its target of Cash + 5% over a rolling three year period. The fund has also recorded outflows, as investors were offered alternatives such as JPM Global Macro Opportunities, Invesco Perpetual Global Targeted Absolute Return and Aviva Multi Strategy Target Returns.”

2017 Top 10 Most researched funds on FE Analytics

Jupiter - European

Fundsmith - Equity

CF Woodford - Equity Income

Stewart Investors - Asia Pacific Leaders

Invesco Perpetual - High Income

Standard Life Investments - Global Absolute Return Strategies

Newton - Real Return

Newton - Global Income

Lindsell Train - Lindsell Train UK Equity

Artemis - Global Income