NEW YORK, USA – Bank of America Merrill Lynch, which last year rocketed from No. 8 to No. 1 on the All-Asia Research Team, strengthens its hold on the top spot in Institutional Investor‘s exclusive annual ranking of the region’s best investment-research providers.

Complete survey results can be found at www.institutionalinvestor.com.

BAML adds four positions, for a total of 35, and nearly doubles its number of teams deemed the best in their respective sectors, from eight to 15. That's three times the number of first-place teams won by Citi, which leaps from No. 5 to tie for second place with J.P. Morgan. These firms capture a total of 29 spots each, up from 23 and 26, respectively.

Deutsche Bank is the year‘s biggest upward mover, jumping from No. 8 to tie for fourth place with UBS. These banks claim 28 positions each -- for Deutsche Bank, that’s an increase of nine; for UBS, a gain of four.

Survey results reflect the opinions of more than 3,200 buy-side analysts and money managers at some 980 institutions that collectively manage $1.67 trillion in Asian equities.

Institutional Investor will announce the winners of its inaugural All-Asia Sales Team and All-Japan Trading Team tomorrow, May 8, on its website.

For more information contact Alyssa Walker at awalker@iiresearchgroup.com or (212) 224-3677.