ARC’s website includes a table of all Investment Management Association (IMA) UK Income Equity Funds and the special PRISM function allows users to see how funds rank against their peers based on certain criteria or selected combinations of these different measures.

“Traditionally funds have been classified and therefore analysed according one set of criteria or another, for example by way of yield or the percentage growth,” said Graham Harrison, Managing Director of ARC.

“This new tool is unique because it brings together various different strands of data for each of the funds, which means that private investors or financial advisers can then see how funds rank against each other according to the criteria or combinations of measures that meet their needs," he added.

The tool, which uses data originally supplied by Lipper, has been developed in association with investment management company Liontrust.

Mr Harrison added: “They were frustrated with the existing forms of analysis and approached us about creating an alternative specifically for UK Income Equity Funds. We immediately realised that this was right up our street in that we like to develop tools which meet needs in the market that are not currently being fulfilled.

“We have had a very positive response and so much so that a series of other firms have added their names to the list of sponsors. In addition, this success means that despite the fact that different sets of information will be required we are looking to expand the analysis beyond just UK Equity Income Funds and into other classes.”

The development of this tool follows from ARC’s introduction in 2007 of the revolutionary Private Client Indices (PCIs). These provide private clients and their advisers with a unique insight into the actual returns being generated by investment managers for their discretionary portfolios with non-specialist mandates. Last year’s launch of the Sterling-based PCIs has been followed already in 2008 with the unveiling of the US Dollar version.

“ARC has grown a reputation both in Guernsey and in key markets such as the City of London for pioneering work,” said Peter Niven, Chief Executive of GuernseyFinance – the promotional agency for the Island’s finance industry.

“Once again with the development of this new tool the team has demonstrated their continued innovation in providing private investors and financial advisers with unique tools for evaluating performances in the investment market," Niven added.