Industry publications continue citing Merrill Lynch’s performance excellence, with The Asset, Euroweek and Investment Dealers’ Digest the latest to honor the firm. The Asset, which covers financial services in Asia, named Merrill Lynch Best Investment Bank for 2007.

In citing Merrill Lynch’s performance across a host of countries, excluding Japan, The Asset pointed out that more than ever, the ability to structure and tap new sources of liquidity is becoming increasingly vital, especially with the emergence of the private sector in markets such as China and India. Merrill Lynch saw the growing importance of this growth capital two years ago, the magazine said.

“Applying a consistent and committed approach to this belief, this bank has stood out — and in a year like 2007, with the difficulties in the public market, it is in the editors’ view — redefining the borders of Asia’s capital markets,” The Asset said.

In its annual awards, the magazine also named Merrill Lynch Best Private Financing House in Asia, Best Equity House in India, Best Debt House in South Korea and Best Equity House in Pakistan.

SVP Damian Chunilal, head of Pacific Rim Investment Banking and the Pacific Rim Private Banking Group, said the awards mark a “fantastic achievement for all of us” and demonstrates how far the firm has come in building a broad and innovative origination business over the past few years.

“It has been a long road and we still have much to do, but winning this award is a fantastic achievement for all of us,” Chunilal said.

He added that building a strong and balanced client franchise based on relationships, capabilities and innovation is the most important strategy that needs to be carried out.

“If we succeed in doing this, we will maximize our sustainable profitability over the business cycle,” he said. “Winning this award demonstrates the progress we are making in attaining this goal.”

In Euroweek’s Deals of the Year for 2007, Merrill Lynch won two awards for performance in Europe by the Financial Institutions Group, managing dollar subordinated and euro subordinated bonds.

The firm’s work was also cited for leading the Royal Bank of Scotland in its acquisition, as part of a consortium of three banks, of Dutch bank ABN AMRO. Using the largest number of tranches and currencies of any single offering, Merrill Lynch raised €6.2 billion equivalent in Tier 1 capital offerings, the largest ever hybrid capital financing by a large margin, for RBS.

On January 22, Merrill Lynch was also recognized at a reception at the W Hotel in New York City held by IDD magazine. Merrill Lynch was the lead bank on two deals named in IDD’s annual “Deal of the Year Awards.”

Alltel Corp.’s sale to TPG Capital and Goldman Sachs Partners for $27.5 billion was named the telecom deal of the year. IDD highlighted Merrill Lynch’s long history with Alltel saying, “Merrill Lynch has been a strategic advisor to Alltel for the past 12 years, and has built a strong strategic and financing relationship with the company.”

IDD called the News Corp. and Dow Jones transaction one of “the most unique and intriguing deals of last year.” The $5 billion merger was named the media deal of the year. Merrill Lynch played an important role in finalizing the complex and at times controversial deal.

Over the past few months, Merrill Lynch has been named House of the Year by Euromoney, Asiamoney, The Banker and International Financing Review, Global Equity House of the Year by Global Finance, Derivatives House of the Year by Risk magazine, European Investment Bank of the Year by Financial News and Europe’s Best Investment Bank of the Year and Hybrid Capital House of the Year by The Banker.