Fortis Private Banking has signed an agreement enabling it to provide clients with large-cap equity research from Standard & Poor's Equity Research. The agreement will give the Fortis private banking clients access to award-winning equity research on more than 500 US, European and Asian companies. The arrangement will allow Fortis Private Banking's advisors to concentrate on their core competencies of asset allocation and portfolio construction. "This initiative demonstrates Fortis's commitment to innovation in private banking. It is the type of solution that other private banks may need to adopt as they reassess their business models in light of growing competition and globalisation of the wealth management market," said Ed Emmer, executive managing director of Standard & Poor's Equity Research. Client assets under management at Fortis Private Banking were €70.5 billion at the end of June 2006.