Six Funds become 5-Star Class

In the revised ratings for the month of October, as many as six funds - Magnum Emerging Businesses, ICICI Prudential Emerging STAR, Principal Dividend Yield, Canara Robeco Nifty Index, ICICI Prudential Liquid Inst I and Quantum Liquid - have gained entry into the Value Research Five Star Funds family.

All equity funds have maintained their five star positions with none of them falling out of the elite club. Kotak Opportunities which made an entry into the Value Research fund rating family last month with a five star tag has maintained its position.

Being rated for the first time, ICICI Prudential Liquid Inst I has begun its rating life in the elite club of the Value Research Rating Radar with a four star tag.

Its fund family, ICICI Prudential tops the chart with eight of its funds finding a place in the top-rated category. Closely following it is the Birla Sun Life AMC; lagging behind by just one step with seven five star rated funds.

However, the position reverses when we combine the number of four and five star funds: Birla Sun Life has 21 funds with five and four star ratings while ICICI Prudential has 19.

Birla Sun Life GSF Short-term, Kotak Bond Regular, Birla MIP, Reliance Gilt Long-term, ICICI Prudential Income Multiplier Reg and Kotak Flexi Debt have gained entry into the five star category as well.

Reliance Gilt Long Term has made a smart recovery as far as the ratings are concerned. After languishing in the four star fund family for seven months, the fund has again gained entry into the five star category. This is not the first time that the fund has gained a 5 star rating but its average performance has seen its rating go down.

Another significant improvement has been made by BOB MIP. After fluctuating between the 1 and 3 star ratings, BOB MIP has moved up two steps to become a 3 star fund thanks to its improved returns.

Overall, of the total 467 rated funds, 38 funds have been upgraded and almost as many (37 funds) downgraded. 385 funds have maintained a status quo.

Fund Families: How they Stack Up Fund House    *    * *    * * *    * * * *    * * * * * ABN AMRO   3   2   2   1   - Benchmark   2   -   2   -   - Birla Sunlife   2   6   10   14   7 BoB   1   4   2   2   - Canara Robeco   2   2   4   4   1 DBS Chola   2   1   4   1   1 Deutsche   1   2   4   1   1 DSP ML   1   4   4   5   1 Escorts   1   5   2   -   - Fidelity   -   -   -   1   - Franklin Templeton   -   5   19   11   1 HDFC   3   7   7   7   6 HSBC   1   2   5   5   - ICICI Prudential   -   4   15   11   8 ING   -   6   6   3   - J M   2   7   4   -   - Kotak Mahindra   1   4   7   4   3 LIC   5   4   7   1   1 Principal   2   3   10   5   1 Quantum   -   -   1   -   - Reliance   2   2   5   4   3 Sahara   -   1   3   2   - SBI   4   6   8   4   5 Standard Chartered   2   4   4   5   - Sundaram BNP Paribas   2   5   5   4   1 Tata   2   6   9   9   3 Taurus   3   2   1   -   - UTI Mutual Fund   3   11   11   3   4 As on October 31, 2007