Fidelity Investments has extended its lead in the European smaller companies market ahead of investment management rivals Capital Group and JP Morgan Fleming Asset Management.

Votes from 383 smaller quoted companies in continental Europe in the Reuters European Smaller Company Survey 2001, left Fidelity stealing 12.67% share of the votes compared to 8.84% in 2000. Fidelity will also be celebrating its number one position in the top 20 individual fund managers rankings where its team climbed up from third.