Square Mile Investment Consulting & Research confirms the upgrading of the Artemis European Opportunities Fund from an A-rating to AA-rating and the removal of the suspended rating of the Stewart Investors Global Emerging Markets Leaders fund following its reinstatement to the Square Mile's Academy of Funds with a AA-rating.

Square Mile's recommended funds, which sit within the Academy of Funds, carry a rating - A, AA, AAA, R or P+ - as reflection of the level of conviction Square Mile's team of analysts has in a fund's ability to deliver on expectations. Square Mile's independent, qualitative research is designed to offer advisers a solid foundation for client investment propositions and recommendations.

Commenting on the Artemis European Opportunities fund, Amaya Assan, Senior Investment Research Analyst at Square Mile said:

"We have decided to upgrade the Artemis European Opportunities fund from A to AA. We have a high regard for the managers Mark Page and Laurent Millet, who have worked together since 2007 and have managed this fund since its launch in 2011. We are impressed with both managers, and especially with their adherence to their investment process. They apply a flexible approach to investing, aiming to provide investors with consistent and reliable performance. This fund could be viewed as more of an all weather strategy, aiming to ignore market fads and focus on churning out reliable returns."

Commenting on the Stewart Investors Global Emerging Markets Leaders fund, Amaya Assan said:

"We have removed the suspended rating of the Stewart Investors Global Emerging Markets Leaders fund and reinstated it to the Square Mile's Academy of Funds with a AA rating. Lead manager Jonathan Asante will be handing the fund over to co-managers Ashish Swarup and Tom Prew at the beginning of July 2016. We believe the upcoming changes will make very little difference to the way the fund is run on a day-to-day basis. All the strategies and funds managed within Stewart Investors draw upon the ideas of the well-resourced research team, with sub teams of dedicated analysts and fund managers focusing on specific strategies.

Moreover, the investment process is tightly followed and is underpinned by a strong quality emphasis with all the members of the team focusing on a set of common company characteristics. Overall we have a high regard for the team's strong investment culture, which they have applied consistently across all their funds over many years, including emerging markets."