Italy-based UniCredit said Kepler will support its Equity Capital Market (ECM) business in the areas of Equity research and provision of analyst reports for Western European ECM and all other UniCredit units.

As part of the alliance, Kepler will handle the exclusive distribution of Western European ECM transactions worldwide and will also add coverage of an additional 48 stocks.

UniCredit head of Corporate & Investment Banking Jean Mustier said the strategic alliance with Kepler will secure the distribution of UniCredit’s Western European ECM transactions to investors worldwide, by giving them access to a very strong institutional client base through the existing systems and operations of Kepler.

The strategic alliance is subject to regulatory approval, added UniCredit.