SEI, a leading provider of outsourced asset management, investment processing and operations solutions, said it has extended its array of middle-office services.

The solution, which leverages the independent valuation and pricing models of industry-leading third-party pricing providers, is designed to provide managers with more accurate and independent pricing verification.

The solution is the latest in a series of developments by SEI to help managers address the challenges they are facing in valuing their investments due to rapid changes in liquidity and volatility in global securities markets, while meeting the growing investor demands for conflict-free transparency in a climate of increasing global regulatory and investor scrutiny.

SEI's enhanced offering provides managers with multi-source, independent asset pricing and valuation validation for all asset classes from more than 10 of the most respected global providers in the industry. As part of the offering, SEI has created a seamless reporting process where pricing reports are now made available through the company's online Manager Dashboard tool.

Among the reporting data that managers receive are valuation variance reports detailing price comparisons, model inputs and assumptions. The multi-level, independent process ensures greater accuracy and transparency, and also provides managers with an additional measure of validity among, what most experts agree, has become a more skeptical investor base, not to mention an area of increased scrutiny by regulators.

'The increased demand for a robust and reliable valuation process, as well as a heightened focus on valuation governance by regulators, has added significant challenges to managers,' said Jean Ebbott, solutions director, SEI's Investment Manager Services division.

'To effectively address these challenges, we are providing our clients with deeper access to independent pricing and valuation models from best-in-class partners to help them manage risk, increase comfort among their investors, and ensure consistent and credible pricing.'-TradeArabia News Service