Deutsche Bank launches a new index linked to the US Municipal Market
Deutsche Bank has launched a new proprietary index, dbMAST, linked to the $2 trillion US Municipal Market.
The dbMAST Index, the latest in the line of Deutsche Bank’s highly successful institutional fixed income research models, offers institutional investors access to the structural premium that arises from supply and demand mismatches in the US municipal curve and expected future US tax rates.
The dbMAST Index aims to extract the arbitrage value by leveraging the inefficiencies that exist due to the issuers’ preference for long term financing and investors demand for US Tax exempt municipal bonds at shorter maturities. Research indicates that this excess demand in the shorter maturities causes the municipal curve to slope upwards and to deviate from the theoretical municipal curve which is a function of the libor curve and expected future tax rates which creates the structural premium.
The dbMAST Index exhibits a low correlation to other asset classes and because the strategy has been constructed using a long / short combination of interest rate underlyings, the index also has a low correlation to bonds making it a compelling alternative to traditional fixed income investments. Furthermore the Index is entirely quantitative, driven by research, and involves no subjectivity.
Investors can gain access to the index via Funds, notes, certificates and OTC derivatives or by a number of different wrappers and is available in both principle protected and leveraged formats.
Carlos Rodriguez, Head of Municipal Derivatives in the US comments “db MAST offers clients the opportunity to generate alpha from the US municipal market via an innovative indexing solution presenting european and asian investors with an exciting alternative to their traditional fixed income markets”
Bhupinder Singh, Head of Structured Rates Products, Europe & Asia adds “Deutsche Bank’s ability to take a local strategy and turn it into a globally accepted product illustrates our ability integrate our trading, structuring and distribution groups into an efficient global platform that creates value added investment strategies for our clients”
For further information, please call:
Deutsche Bank
Michelle Gathercole
(44 20) 7545 4249
Press and media relations
About Deutsche Bank
Deutsche Bank is a leading global investment bank with a strong and profitable private clients franchise. A leader in Germany and Europe, the bank is continuously growing in North America, Asia and key emerging markets. With 73,114 employees in 73 countries, Deutsche Bank offers unparalleled financial services throughout the world. The bank competes to be the leading global provider of financial solutions for demanding clients creating exceptional value for its shareholders and people.