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T Rowe Price Global Investment Services has launched a new global large-cap equity strategy as part of its Sicav range to generate long-term capital growth for investors.

Laurence Taylor, portfolio specialist at T Rowe Price, said the new strategy would be based on its global all-cap strategy, which closed last year because of capacity reasons.

"It's a huge step for us," he said. "The strategy has the same overall peer group of stocks - with the exception of some smaller-cap stocks - and follows the same process."

Mr Taylor said fund manager Scott Berg would leverage the knowledge and experience of investment analysts and researchers at T Rowe Price.

He added: "The company has a fundamental stock-picking bias. Everything we do is from a bottom-up process."

The new strategy will invest in 80-100 stocks in large companies across the world with market capitalisations that fall within the range set out by the MSCI All Country World Large-Cap index.

Mr Taylor said demand for global large-cap equity products had risen in recent months as investors sought safety in bigger, well-capitalised companies from the volatility affecting other smaller companies.

"There are a lot of fund managers who have had a very difficult year, but we expect the opportunities to be there this year," he added.

Volatility in the market is likely to favour stock pickers as the tumultuous market conditions make valuations seem more attractive, said Mr Taylor.

"There are fundamental opportunities based on valuations, but what we are focused on is companies that are going to benefit from this period and take market share," he added.

Mr Berg, who has been an associate portfolio manager of the global equity strategy since launch in 2005, said the current global economic conditions had made large companies with good long-term prospects more attractive to investors.

He said: "The strategy will invest in established, growth-seeking companies, with seasoned management and strong balance sheets.

"With the ability to invest without borders, we will actively seek the most attractive larger companies, wherever they may be headquartered."

Bill Stromberg, director of global equities, said the new strategy offered investors diversification and exposure to large-cap equities around the world.

He added: "We have been strategically expanding our global research capabilities for a number of years and now have more than one-third of our equity research team based outside the US."

Peter Preisler, head of Emea at T Rowe Price, said the firm had taken a considered approach to launching the strategy.

"The addition of the global large-cap equity strategy highlights the great progress we have made in improving the depth and breadth of our global research team," he said.