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Skandia Investment Group (SIG) has launched a new research-rated fund range that will enable advisers and intermediaries to outsource aspects of its investment research.

The Core Fund Range consists of 275 funds from more than 100 different groups and has more than 50 analysts and portfolio managers monitoring the funds applying Skandia’s 4-P standard. The 4-P standard consists of philosophy, people, process and performance and is used to identify “best of breed” managers.

The Core Range is currently only available in continental Europe, Latin America and Scandinavia but the group has stated there is potential to launch the service in the UK at somepoint in 2009 where it would compliment Skandia’s existing open architecture platforms and multi-manager funds.

SIG stated it is confident fund management groups will benefit from the development of the fund range given that a concentrated range will ultimately result in greater fund flows and assets under management.

By placing their funds in the Core Fund Range, fund groups will also have a single point of contact across the worldwide Skandia Group.

Jamie MacLeod, chief executive of Skandia, said he also expected the service to be fully embraced by IFAs, distributors and clients due to the amount of research and scope that has been put into the funds.

Mr MacLeod said: “The ability of SIG to provide access to funds across a wide range of territories is an exciting prospect for fund groups and it is encouraging the degree to which we have received support from our fund group partners who are seeking to register funds in new countries.

“SIG is setting a new global standard by launching probably the world’s most comprehensive research-rated fund range. From discussions we have had we know this move will spark significant interest from fund groups and intermediaries worldwide.”

According to Skandia the fund range was developed after about 1700 meetings with more than 200 different fund management groups around the world.

All underlying funds within the SIG multi-manager range are on the fund list, including the £120m Martin Currie North America Alpha fund, the £78m Aegon UK Opportunities fund and the £1.1bn Artemis European Growth fund.

SIG is currently made up of three fund management companies: Skandia Global Funds, based in Dublin, Skandia Fonder, which is in Sweden and UK-based Skandia Investment Management.

Skandia has also recently made a number of appointments, including adding three members to its multi-manager team.