The general market news was positive for the month of April, as opposed to the early part of the year, and the rally in the equity markets appears to have aided the returns of growth-styled funds.
Four of the five largest upgrades for stock mutual funds occurred in the growth category. The other notable upgrade was the Fidelity Select Technology Fund, which staggered to a C-, up from E+.
The equity markets have risen markedly over the past month, and whether there is enough steam to carry the growth style of funds higher is in doubt, given the less then encouraging economic news of late. Stock mutual funds that generated the highest ratings upgrades for the month of April are highlighted in the table below.
Content Continues Below
| Ticker | Fund Name | Current Rating | Previous Rating | Category/Classification |
| RSDGX | RS Select Growth Fund A | C | D- | Small Cap |
| WGGFX | Winslow Green Growth Fd | C | D- | Small Cap |
| FSPTX | Fidelity Select Technology | C- | E+ | Sector - Tech/Communications |
| SRFAX | MFS Sector Rotational Fund Class A | B | C- | Growth - Domestic |
| UMPIX | ProFunds-Ultra Mid Cap Inv | C- | E | Aggressive Growth |
On the downgrade side, the top half of the table below shows marked falls in ratings experienced by asset-allocation funds. The asset-allocation classification appears on a regular basis throughout the list, and with these funds invested in both the bond and equity markets, it appears that those funds carrying a heavier allocation to the bond market suffered at the hands of the news of a possible
Federal Reserve rates pause and inflation fears.
| Ticker | Fund Name | Current Rating | Previous Rating | Category/Classification | Diff |
| GGHEX | GMO Alpha Only Fund III | C | A+ | Asset Allocation - Global | -8 |
| FOSIX | First Focus Sh Inter Bond Inst | C | A+ | Asset Allocation - Domestic | -7 |
| PASAX | PIMCO All Asset A | C+ | A+ | Asset Allocation - Domestic | -7 |
| EINFX | Elfun Income Fund | C+ | A+ | Equity Income | -6 |
| BRACX | BlackRock Bd Alloc Target Srs C | C+ | A+ | Asset Allocation - Domestic | -6 |
| DFINX | Transamerica Prt Inst Money Market | C+ | A+ | Sector - Other | -6 |
| VWINX | Vanguard Wellesley Income Inv | B- | A+ | Asset Allocation - Domestic | -6 |
| VPRRX | Vantagepoint Milestone Retire Incm | B- | A+ | Equity Income | -6 |
| DISHX | Transamerica Inst Ast Alloc Sht Hrz | B- | A+ | Asset Allocation - Domestic | -6 |
| PAUAX | PIMCO All Asset All Authority A | B | A+ | Asset Allocation - Domestic | -5 |
| EXDAX | Manning & Napier Pro-Blend Con Term | B | A+ | Asset Allocation - Domestic | -5 |
| IVGTX | ING Van Kampen Glb Franch S | B | A+ | Global Equity | -5 |
| JELCX | J Hancock Trust Lifestyle Con Ser I | B | A+ | Asset Allocation - Domestic | -5 |
| ARSRX | American Century LStrong Inc R | B | A+ | Growth & Income | -5 |
| AONIX | American Century One Ch Vy Con Inv | B | A+ | Asset Allocation - Domestic | -5 |
| FMLSX | 1st Source Monogram Long/Short | B | A+ | Asset Allocation - Domestic | -5 |
| VCSAX | Vanguard Cons Stap Idx Adm | B | A+ | Growth & Income | -5 |
| VASIX | Vanguard LifeStrategy Income Fd | B | A+ | Asset Allocation - Domestic | -5 |
| FPHAX | Fidelity Select Pharmaceuticals | D+ | A | Sector - Health/Biotechnology | -4 |
| VPSOX | Vantagepoint Model Port Savings Ori | C+ | A | Asset Allocation - Domestic | -4 |
| DVMKX | Transamerica Prt Money Market | C+ | A | Sector - Other | -4 |
| DVCSX | Transamerica Ast Alloc Short Hrz | C+ | A | Asset Allocation - Domestic | -4 |
| AANPX | American Beacon Enhanced Income | C+ | A | Equity Income | -4 |
| LPRAX | Barclays Gbl Inv Retirement Port R | B- | A | Balanced - Domestic | -4 |
| SHSAX | BlackRock Health Sci Opp Inv A | B- | A | Sector - Health/Biotechnology | -4 |
| DIHSX | Transamerica Inst AstAlc Sh Int Hrz | B- | A | Asset Allocation - Domestic | -4 |
| KRFEX | DWS Target 2014 Fd A | C- | A- | Balanced - Domestic | -4 |
| PSSAX | PIMCO StocksPLUS Tr Sh Strat A | C- | A- | Growth & Income | -4 |
| KRFDX | DWS Target 2013 Fund | C | A- | Asset Allocation - Domestic | -4 |
| FFFAX | Fidelity Freedom Income Fd | C+ | A- | Balanced - Domestic | -4 |
| DLIIX | Dreyfus Lifetime Income Inv | C+ | A- | Growth & Income | -4 |
| INTLX | Forester Discovery Fund | C | B+ | Non-US Equity | -4 |
| INCMX | Fund *X Flexible Income Fund | C | B+ | Balanced - Domestic | -4 |
| NDCAX | Nationwide Inv Dest Cons A | C | B+ | Asset Allocation - Global | -4 |
| IGFVX | ING GET Series-V | C | B+ | Growth - Domestic | -4 |
| IGUEX | ING GET U.S. Core Portfolio - Ser 3 | C | B+ | Equity Income | -4 |
| WICAX | Waddell & Reed InvestEd Conserv A | C | B+ | Growth - Domestic | -4 |
| HSGFX | Hussman Strategic Growth | C- | B | Growth - Domestic | -4 |
| JMNAX | JPMorgan Market Neutral Fund A | C- | B | Equity Income | -4 |
| KRFBX | DWS Target 2011 | C- | B | Asset Allocation - Domestic | -4 |
| KRFCX | DWS Target 2012 | C- | B | Asset Allocation - Domestic | -4 |
| KRFAX | DWS Target 2010 | D+ | B- | Asset Allocation - Domestic | -4 |
| BIPIX | ProFunds-Biotech Ultra Sector Inv | D+ | B- | Growth - Domestic | -4 |
| GRZZX | Leuthold Grizzly Short Fund | D- | C+ | Small Cap | -4 |
| FBIOX | Fidelity Select Biotech Port | D- | C | Sector - Health/Biotechnology | -4 |
| BRPIX | ProFunds-Bear Fund Inv | D- | C | Growth - Domestic | -4 |
| SHPIX | ProFunds-Short Small Cap Inv | E | D+ | Small Cap | -4 |
| RYTMX | Rydex Dyn-Inv S&P 500 2x Strategy A | E- | D | Aggressive Growth | -4 |
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