The sick man of the European banking sector is planning some self-help, according to reports.
The Financial Times reckons Deutsche Bank (ETR:DBK) is ready to float off its asset management operation, estimated to be worth around £7.1bn.
The proceeds would be used to shore up a threadbare balance sheet, which is expected to come under stress once it negotiates a final settlement with US Department of Justice.
The current deal on the table could see it fork out over £11bn for its part in the mortgage backed securities scandal that brought the financial sector down in 2008.
However, a report last week suggested the DoJ may actually take a much lower sum of £4.3bn.
The FT said John Cryan, Deutsche’s chief executive, will meet the DoJ in Washington on Friday.
However the person that briefed the FT said a deal was unlikely to be struck during the visit.
He is in the US capital along with many of the world's top financial industry executives for the IMF and World Bank annual meetings.
Floating asset management division, the bank’s best performing operation, is just one option Deutsche apparently is looking at as it tries to realise value from its assets.
