DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ UniCredit tops profit forecast, buys cloud-based bank
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-24 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Italian bank UniCredit on Wednesday posted better-than-expected second quarter profit and said it was buying a Belgian digital bank with its own cloud-based IT platform for 370 million euros ($401 million). UniCredit said the purchase of Belgian bank Aion and its cloud-based core banking system Vodeno would add a team of 200 engineers, developers and data scientists. To address this, UniCredit's rival Intesa Sanpaolo for example is partnering with British cloud banking technology provider ThoughtMachine. "The transaction represents one of the first moves by a bank to acquire full ownership of a new technology (without any dependencies from third party core banking providers)," UniCredit said. Net profit in the second quarter rose 5% from the previous three months to 2.7 billion euros, surpassing a 2.4 billion euro average forecast from analysts polled by the bank as revenues held up better than anticipated.

Persons: Andrea Orcel, UniCredit, Banks, Intesa Sanpaolo Organizations: UniCredit, UBS, Banco, Belgian Locations: Belgian, Aion

☆ Banco BPM CEO: Italy experiencing best post-Covid growth in Europe
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-08 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailBanco BPM CEO: Italy experiencing best post-Covid growth in EuropeGiuseppe Castagna, the chief executive officer at Banco BPM, speaks to CNBC Class ahead of the 2024 Influence Relevance & Growth Conference at the SDA Bocconi School of Management in Milan.

Persons: Europe Giuseppe Castagna Organizations: Banco BPM, CNBC, SDA Bocconi School of Management Locations: Italy, Europe, Milan

Amundi signed a 10-year distribution accord in 2017 when it bought UniCredit's Pioneer Investments for 3.6 billion euros. Credit Agricole CEO Philippe Brassac told reporters this month it was no secret UniCredit was looking at ways "to optimise" the accord with Amundi. Orcel, sources have said, is unhappy with the amount of Amundi funds the accord binds UniCredit to place with customers. UniCredit had 134 billion euros in AUM from fund and portfolio management as of Sept. 30. If their relationship ended after 2027, it would still take UniCredit time to replace Amundi funds with other products.

Persons: Sarah Meyssonnier, Amundi, Andrea Orcel, UniCredit, Philippe Brassac, Brassac, Orcel, Azimut, Valentina Za, Mathieu Rosemain, Silvia Aloisi, Alexander Smith Organizations: REUTERS, Reuters, Investments, Agricole, Credit, Amundi, Thomson Locations: Paris, France, MILAN, Italy, Italian, Milan

MPS shares were down 7.8% at 2.83 euros by 1145 GMT on Tuesday, reflecting the impact of the sale. EU COMMITMENTSBofA Securities, Jefferies and UBS Europe coordinated the accelerated bookbuilding for the stake sale, the Treasury said in a statement. Commitments Italy agreed with European Union competition authorities at the time of the bailout bind Rome to eventually sell its entire stake in the bank. Two years ago heavyweight UniCredit (CRDI.MI) sank the government's privatisation efforts, forcing Rome to seek more time from the EU. The stake sale is seen as giving Italy more flexibility to pursue a long-term solution for MPS via a merger with a rival, after negotiations with UniCredit were complicated by an impending re-privatisation deadline.

Persons: Jennifer Lorenzini, Luigi Lovaglio, Giancarlo Giorgetti, Giorgia Meloni, Valentina Za, Lincoln, Richard Chang, Mark Potter Organizations: Monte, REUTERS, Treasury, MPS, BofA Securities, Jefferies, UBS Europe, European Union, Reuters, Economy, Banco, BPER Banca, EU, Thomson Locations: Monte dei, Siena, Italy, MILAN, Rome

☆ UniCredit CEO Orcel's 'bank of Europe' ambition tough to realise
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( Valentina Za | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

However, his aspirations to make UniCredit the "bank of Europe" are proving trickier to realise with the CEO setting a high bar for mergers and acquisitions in the euro zone's fractured capital markets, despite having what he describes as the biggest war chest among European lenders. UniCredit bought Greece's 9% stake in Alpha Bank (ACBr.AT) and struck a commercial partnership with the Athens-based lender, also acquiring most of its Romanian operations. The CEO works closely with a small M&A team he set up within UniCredit which constantly reviews potential deals in the markets and businesses where the bank operates, people with knowledge of the matter said. But uneven regulation across the euro zone, where progress towards a single banking market has stalled, complicates cross-border deals. Calling on Europe to follow his lead, Orcel says he has unlocked UniCredit's potential by giving it a unified strategy across its 13 markets.

Persons: Andrea Orcel, Merrill Lynch, Orcel, He's, Cole Smead, ALPHA Orcel, Siena, UniCredit, Smead, Jean, Pierre Mustier's, Mustier, it's, Carlo Franchini, Danilo Masoni, Kirsten Donovan Organizations: Discount, MILAN, UBS, Smead Capital Management, Fund, ALPHA, Banco, Alpha Bank, Alpha, Banca Ifigest, Thomson Locations: buybacks, Europe, Arizona, Ukraine, Athens, HVB, Berlin, Milan

That has left Italian equities overall more cheaply valued than even battered UK shares (.dMIGB00000PUS), which are trading at a 33% discount to global peers. Goldman Sachs estimates that each 10 bps rise in sovereign spreads takes around 2% off Italian bank shares and 1.5% off the FTSE MIB index. Conflict in Ukraine and in the Middle East meanwhile threaten to spark a fresh surge in energy prices and weaken growth. UniCredit shares are up almost 80% this year and among the best performing euro zone banking shares. Fidelity International portfolio manager Alberto Chiandetti, said he was chasing opportunities in battered industrials and consumer sectors in the FTSE Italia Star index.

Persons: Claudia Greco, Chris Hiorns, Fitch, Goldman Sachs, Giuseppe Sersale, Andrea Scauri, Lemanik, Scauri, LSEG, Alberto Chiandetti, Joice Alves, Danilo Masoni, Dhara Ranasinghe, Toby Chopra Organizations: REUTERS, Companies, LONDON, Barclays, European Commission, FTSE Italia Star, Anthilia, Banco, Fidelity International, FTSE, Thomson Locations: Milan, Silicon, Italy, Companies Italy, MILAN, Germany, Ukraine, iShares, Europe, dei, London

☆ Italy picks UBS, Jefferies, Clifford Chance for MPS privatisation
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-20 | by ( Giuseppe Fonte | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

People pass in front of a branch of Monte dei Paschi di Siena (MPS) bank in Siena, Italy, August 11 2021. REUTERS / Jennifer Lorenzini/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsROME, Oct 20 (Reuters) - Italy's Treasury said on Friday it had picked UBS (UBSG.S) , Jefferies and Clifford Chance as financial and legal advisers for the privatisation of bailed-out bank Monte dei Paschi di Siena (MPS) (BMPS.MI). After a failed attempt to sell the Tuscan lender to larger peer UniCredit (CRDI.MI) in 2021, Italy agreed to Brussels' new privatisation terms that were never fully disclosed. However, Economy Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti said this week MPS could return to private hands by the end of next year. Both Giorgetti and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni have said in recent months that the government would try to boost competition among Italy's banks with the privatisation of MPS.

Persons: Jennifer Lorenzini, Jefferies, Clifford Chance, Giancarlo Giorgetti, Giorgia Meloni, Gavin Jones, Richard Chang Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Treasury, UBS, European Union, MPS, Banco, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Monte dei, Siena, Italy, Rome, Brussels

☆ Italy not tied to any deadline to exit Monte Paschi, FinMin says
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

View of the entrance to the headquarters of Monte dei Paschi di Siena (MPS), the oldest bank in the world, which is facing massive layoffs as part of a planned corporate merger, in Siena, Italy, August 11, 2021. REUTERS/Jennifer Lorenzini/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsMARRAKECH, Oct 13 (Reuters) - Italy will exit bailed-out bank Monte dei Paschi di Siena (MPS) (BMPS.MI) when market conditions are appropriate as it is not tied to any deadline, Economy Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti said on Friday. After a failed attempt to sell the bank to UniCredit (CRDI.MI) in 2021, Italy agreed with Brussels new privatisation terms that were never fully disclosed. Both Giorgetti and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni have said that the government would try to boost competition among banks with the privatisation of MPS. ($1 = 0.9499 euros)Reporting by Elisa Martinuzzi, writing by Giuseppe Fonte, editing by Jane Merriman and Gavin JonesOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Jennifer Lorenzini, Giancarlo Giorgetti, Giorgetti, Giorgia Meloni, Meloni, Elisa Martinuzzi, Giuseppe Fonte, Jane Merriman, Gavin Jones Organizations: Monte, REUTERS, Rights, European Union, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, MPS, Banco, Treasury, Thomson Locations: Monte dei, Siena, Italy, Rights MARRAKECH, Rome, UniCredit, Brussels, Marrakech

☆ Italy has no buyers for Monte dei Paschi, eyes small share sales instead of exit, sources say
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

General view of a branch of Monte dei Paschi di Siena (MPS), the oldest bank in the world, which is facing massive layoffs as part of a planned business merger, in Siena, Italy, August 11 2021. Reuters was first in May to report the Treasury was open to selling down its Monte dei Paschi (MPS) stake on the market if conditions were right. Though the Treasury is considering cutting its stake with share placements, it would retain majority ownership, one of the sources said. Bankers said the capital raise has made any deal more expensive for any buyer, complicating the prospect for a merger. Reporting by Giuseppe Fonte in Roma and Valentina Za in Milan; editing by Alvise ArmelliniOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Jennifer Lorenzini, Rome, Luigi Lovaglio, Lovaglio, Giuseppe Fonte, Valentina Za, Alvise Organizations: REUTERS, European, Reuters, Treasury, EU, MPS, Banco, Bankers, Thomson Locations: Monte dei, Siena, Italy, Roma, Milan

☆ UniCredit cements lead as top-performing euro zone bank stock
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Unicredit logo is seen displayed in this illustration taken, May 3, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File photo Acquire Licensing RightsMILAN, Sept 21 (Reuters) - Shares in Italian lender UniCredit (CRDI.MI) rose further on Thursday, hitting their highest since January 2016 and cementing their lead as top-performing euro zone bank stock of 2023. Giving further impetus to UniCredit's rally was the bank's surprise announcement on Wednesday to bring forward up to 2.5 billion euros of its 2023 share buyback plan. "This move comes largely unexpected and sends a message of confidence about the next few months despite the uncertain outlook: we expect UCG will continue to outperform in the near to medium term," wrote Deutsche Bank analysts in a note. Reporting by Danilo Masoni; Editing by Amanda CooperOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, UniCredit, Danilo Masoni, Amanda Cooper Organizations: REUTERS, BPER Banca, Banco, Deutsche Bank, Thomson

LONDON, Aug 11 (Reuters) - U.S. hedge fund Davidson Kempner Capital Management (DK) said on Friday it had agreed to sell Prelios to fintech firm ION Group, in a long-awaited deal which two sources said valued the Italian credit manager at 1.35 billion euros ($1.5 billion). DK, which did not disclose the sale price, had been looking for a buyer for years, and held discussions for several months with ION. Dublin-based ION Group was in turn in talks with banks for months to secure funding for the deal. Founded by former Salomon Brothers trader Andrea Pignataro, ION Group provides services of trading, analytics, treasury and risk management for capital and commodity markets. In 2021 in Italy alone, ION bought banking software provider Cedacri for $1.8 billion and acquired Cerved in a deal that valued the credit data and management group at nearly 2 billion euros.

Persons: Salomon, Andrea Pignataro, UniCredit, Intesa, DK, Lazard, Prelios, Mediobanca, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Riccardo Serrini, Valentina Za, Pablo Mayo, David Goodman, Susan Fenton Organizations: Davidson, Capital Management, ION Group, ION ., ION, Reuters, BNP, Banco, Standard Chartered Bank, Mediobanca, UBS, X3, DK, Thomson Locations: ION . Dublin, Italy

☆ Italy windfall tax: European bank stocks bounce after tax blow is watered down
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-09 | by ( Anna Cooban | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

London CNN —Banking stocks in Italy and elsewhere in Europe rebounded Wednesday after the country watered down a plan to whack its banks with a surprise one-off 40% tax on their windfall profits. The government’s climbdown eased investors’ fears over European banks more broadly. The Stoxx Europe 600 Banks index, which tracks 42 big banks in the European Union and the United Kingdom, gained 1.7% after shedding 3.5% the previous day. Late Monday, the government said it would impose a one-off windfall tax of 40% and would use the proceeds to support first-time home buyers and cut taxes for families and businesses. Several European countries, including Spain and the Czech Republic, have announced taxes on banks’ windfall profits in the past year as interest rate hikes by central banks have beefed up many lenders’ earnings.

Persons: ’, Giancarlo Giorgetti, Remo Casilli, Jeremy Hunt, Moody’s Organizations: London CNN — Banking, Banco, European Union, Reuters, Deutsche Bank, DB, Bank Locations: Italy, Europe, United Kingdom, Rome, Spain, Czech Republic

☆ Italian bank stocks rebound as government waters down windfall tax
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-09 | by ( Elliot Smith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Italian bank shares rebounded on Wednesday after the government watered down a surprise windfall tax on excess profits announced earlier this week. City analysts estimated that the Monday announcement of a 40% tax on excess income derived from higher interest rates in 2023 would deal a 19% blow to Italian lenders' net profits for the year. Shares of BPER Banca, Banco BPM, Intesa Sanpaolo, Finecobank and UniCredit all fell sharply during Tuesday trading wiping out more than 9 billion euros from the market capitalization of the Italian banking sector. Finecobank shares recovered 6% by mid-morning on Wednesday, while Unicredit and BPER Banca were both up by more than 4%. "Initially, right after the announcement of the windfall tax on Monday evening, the government reiterated that they were expecting to raise around 3 billion euros in tax, but then the market realized that the numbers didn't add up," Rania explained.

Persons: Gianmarco Rania, Rania Organizations: Banca, Banco, Citi, BPER Banca, Banor, CNBC

☆ Italian bank tax flip-flop leaves lasting scars
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Aug 9 (Reuters Breakingviews) - The Italian government has raced to soothe bank investors spooked by its ill-thought-out bank windfall tax. The government has now said that the levy will be capped at 0.1% of total assets. If so, and applied to banks’ Italian businesses, then the total haul would be just under 2 billion euros, according to UBS. Still, bank shares have only partially recovered. They do not reflect the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles, is committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias.

Persons: tanking, Siena, That’s, Giorgia Meloni, Neil Unmack, Francesco Guerrera, Streisand Neto Organizations: Reuters, Banca Monte dei, UBS, Banca, Banco, Twitter, Siemens, Thomson

☆ Italian bank shares slide after government surprises with windfall tax
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-08 | by ( Elliot Smith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Italian banking shares took a beating on Tuesday morning after Italy's cabinet approved a 40% windfall tax on lenders' profits in 2023. As of around 9:45 a.m. in Rome, BPER Banca shares had plunged 8% and Intesa Sanpaolo was down 7%, while Banco BPM, UniCredit and Finecobank all dropped more than 6%. The one-off tax on extra profits will be equal to around 19% of banks' net profits for the year, analysts at Citi estimated based on currently available data. "We see this tax as substantially negative for banks given both the impact on capital and profit as well as for cost of equity of bank shares. Banks are required to pay the tax within six months after the end of the financial year.

Persons: Carlo Nordio, Adolfo Urso, Matteo Salvini, Francesco Lollobrigida, Orazio Schillaci, Palazzo Chigi, Sanpaolo, Salvini, Azzurra Guelfi, Banks Organizations: Enterprise, Transport, Agriculture, Health, Palazzo, Ministers, BPER Banca, Banco, European, Citi, Citi Equity Research, UCI Locations: Italy, Rome

☆ Italy’s bank tax may be anything but “one-off”
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Italy's Infrastructure Minister Matteo Salvini attends the upper house of parliament ahead of a confidence vote for the new government, in Rome, Italy, October 26, 2022. REUTERS/Guglielmo MangiapaneLONDON, Aug 8 (Reuters Breakingviews) - As summer surprises go, the one Matteo Salvini sprung on Italy’s banking sector on Monday evening was as unwelcome as they get. In a late-night press conference, Italy’s deputy prime minister announced a windfall levy on lenders’ profits to help pay for cheaper mortgages and income tax cuts. The government is looking to raise less than 3 billion euros from the tax, Reuters reported citing sources close to the matter. Shares in Italy’s two largest banks – Intesa Sanpaolo (ISP.MI) and UniCredit (CRDI.MI) – dropped more than 5% in morning trading.

Persons: Matteo Salvini, Guglielmo Mangiapane, –, Siena, Francesco Guerrera, headwinds, Peter Thal Larsen, Streisand Neto Organizations: Italy's, REUTERS, Guglielmo Mangiapane LONDON, Reuters, Banco, Banca Monte dei, Twitter, Siemens, Thomson Locations: Rome, Italy, Spain, Hungary

☆ NB Renaissance invests in app developer Bending Spoons, eyes IPO
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

MILAN, Aug 3 (Reuters) - NB Renaissance has invested in Milan-based mobile app developer Bending Spoons to help the company expand in a fast-growing market, including through merger and acquisition deals, the private equity firm said on Thursday. Bending Spoons is one of the world's top app providers with 500 million downloads and 100 million active users a month. "In securing the deal, NB Renaissance leveraged its strong relationship with Bending Spoons' founding team," it said, adding they had first worked together in 2019 on a potential U.S. acquisition deal. NB Renaissance did not disclose the size of the investment, saying only it had taken a minority stake, with NBR's senior partner Stefano Bontempelli appointed as member of the board. NB Renaissance is part of Neuberger Berman, a private, independent and employee-owned investment manager with $443 billion of assets under management.

Persons: NBR's, Stefano Bontempelli, Cherry, Neuberger Berman, Valentina Za, Kirsten Donovan Organizations: MILAN, Cherry, Cherry Bay Capital Group, Banco, Engineering, Thomson Locations: Milan, Cherry Bay, Inetum

☆ Italy's Banco BPM lifts 2023 profit goal after solid quarter
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A woman walks in front of the Banca Popolare di Milano (BPM) bank in downtown Milan, Italy, January 29, 2016. REUTERS/Alessandro Garofalo/File PhotoMILAN, Aug 2 (Reuters) - Italian bank Banco BPM (BAMI.MI) on Wednesday joined bigger peers in lifting its 2023 net profit goal - the third such upgrade in as many consecutive quarters - as the sector reaps the benefits of higher interest rates. Italy's third-largest bank said it now expects a full-year net profit of at least of 1.2 billion euros, or 80 euro cents per share up from a previous 75 euro cents per share. Banco BPM said net profit for April-June came in at 359 million euros, above a 335 million analyst consensus compiled by Reuters. The bank said it would update its shareholder reward targets when it presents a new business plan by the end of December.

Persons: Alessandro Garofalo, MILAN, Andrea Mandalà, Valentina Za Organizations: Banca Popolare, REUTERS, Banco, Wednesday, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Milan, Italy

☆ Italy's Banco BPM enters payments deal with Gruppo BCC Iccrea and FSI
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

July 14 (Reuters) - Italy's third-largest bank Banco BPM (BAMI.MI) said on Friday it agreed together with Gruppo BCC Iccrea and domestic private equity fund FSI to create the country's second largest player in the payments business. FSI, founded by former Merrill Lynch banker Maurizio Tamagnini, and unlisted bank Iccrea jointly run the BCC Pay payments business. Banco BPM partners with NEXI (NEXII.MI), Europe's biggest payments company by volume of transactions. On completion of the deal, Banco BPM said it and Iccrea will control 28.6% each of Pay Holding - which controls BCC Pay - and FSI will hold 43%. The venture will have a domestic market share of more than 10%, Banco BPM said.

Persons: Merrill Lynch, Maurizio Tamagnini, Baranjot Kaur Organizations: Banco, Gruppo BCC Iccrea, Pay, Thomson Locations: Bengaluru

☆ Ghost of Silicon Valley Bank turns up in Italy
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-04 | by ( Lisa Jucca | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The rapid collapse of Silicon Valley Bank earlier this year was largely down to an ill-advised bond portfolio and liabilities that were less sticky than assumed. While Italy’s Eurovita isn’t a bank, its demise has some similarities with events across the Atlantic. Eurovita, whose 2022 balance sheet was only about 15 billion euros, chiefly offered life insurance products that guaranteed policyholders’ invested capital and a fixed annual return. Follow @LJucca on TwitterCONTEXT NEWSItaly’s top four insurers and Germany’s Allianz have agreed a multibillion-euro rescue deal for ailing life insurer Eurovita, industry supervisor IVASS said on June 30. The deal also involves banks that sold the insurance products through their networks.

Persons: policyholders ’, Cinven, Intesa, redemptions, Eurovita, Marco Sesana, weren’t, IVASS, George Hay, Oliver Taslic Organizations: MILAN, Reuters, Banco, Reuters Breakingviews, Allianz, Germany’s Allianz, Thomson Locations: Silicon, Eurovita

☆ Italy's top insurers, banks strike Eurovita rescue deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-01 | by ( Valentina Za | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MILAN, June 30 (Reuters) - Italy's top four insurers and Germany's Allianz (ALVG.DE) have agreed a multi-billion euro rescue deal for Eurovita, industry supervisor IVASS said on Friday after months of work to broker an accord which also involves 25 banks. Earlier this year, Eurovita became the first Italian insurance company to be placed under special administration, after running into trouble due to higher interest rates. Insurers Generali (GASI.MI), Intesa Sanpaolo Vita (PST.MI), Poste Vita (PST.MI), UnipolSAI (US.MI) and Allianz will set up a new company that will take on Eurovita life insurance policies. To prevent the five insurers from being hit by redemptions once the ban is lifted, banks that sold Eurovita the products are participating in the rescue. The lenders will provide financing to repay Eurovita customers who redeem their policies, while holding the underlying bonds to maturity and neutralising any losses.

Persons: IVASS, Eurovita, redemptions, Intesa, Vitale &, Gatti Pavesi Bianchi, Valentina Za, Alvise Armellini, Alexander Smith Organizations: MILAN, Germany's Allianz, Allianz, Banco, Credit Agricole, Thomson Locations: Eurovita

☆ Digital banking in Italy's industrial heartland at over 75%, Bank of Italy says
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Digital banking in Lombardy has grown 20 percentage points since 2015, the central bank said in a report on the region's economy, which grew 3.8% in 2022, slightly above the national average. The number of bank branches in Lombardy fell 4% in 2022, bringing the total decline since 2008 to 39%, compared with 41% for the European Union, the Bank of Italy said. Even with the reduction, Lombardy has 41 bank branches per 100,000 residents, against a national average of 36, it added. To cut costs and upgrade its IT infrastructure, Italy's biggest bank Intesa Sanpaolo (ISP.MI) this month launched its digital-only bank Isybank. Citing Eurostat data, the Bank of Italy said 67% of Lombardy's population in 2022 accessed banking services online.

Persons: Andrea Orcel, Valentina Za, Richard Chang Organizations: MILAN, Bank of, Digital, Banco, European Union, Eurostat, Thomson Locations: Lombardy, Italy's, Bank of Italy

☆ ION unlocks financing to finalise Italy's Prelios buy-sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

ION has been in talks for months with U.S. investment fund Davidson Kempner to acquire Prelios, a bad loan specialist which DK took private in 2018. While not all of the banks have completed all the necessary internal steps to approve the financing the sources said the finalisation of the deal was imminent. A stalemate over the duration of the financing has been overcome through a 'bridge to bond' structure with a longer maturity than usual, one of the sources said. 'Bridge to bond' financing normally requires the borrower to tap markets within 12-18 months to repay the loan. ION has a single-B credit rating - below the 'BBB' investment grade threshold - by Moody's and S&P Global, according to Refinitiv data.

ROME, May 5 (Reuters) - Italy's Treasury is open to reducing its 64% stake in Monte dei Paschi di Siena (MPS) (BMPS.MI) through one or more share sales on the market, three people briefed on the matters told Reuters. After rescuing MPS at a cost of 5.4 billion euros ($6 billion) for taxpayers, Rome pumped another 1.6 billion into the Tuscan bank last November when it covered 64% of a 2.5 billion euro capital raise. MPS had to raise fresh capital to fund staff exits and replenish its capital reserves after the Treasury failed to clinch a sale of the bank to UniCredit (CRDI.MI) in 2021. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said several times that MPS's privatisation should foster the creation of several large banking groups in the country. ($1 = 0.9081 euros)Reporting by Giuseppe Fonte in Rome and Valentina Za in Milan; Editing by Susan FentonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Credit Agricole has no plans to raise stake in Italy's Banco BPM
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Credit Agricole emerged as Banco BPM's single biggest investor a year ago, shortly after UniCredit (CRDI.MI) ditched a buyout offer for the smaller rival. Credit Agricole recently increased its initial 9.2% stake, but it would need supervisory clearance to cross the 10% threshold. When asked whether Credit Agricole could help shield Banco BPM from potential takeovers, Maioli said: "We don't play that part. Credit Agricole Italy two years ago spent 855 million euros ($941.36 million) to buy regional Italian bank Creval, after agreeing to rescue three small ailing lenders in 2017. "I think the priority of all the parties involved should be that of strengthening Italian banks," he said.

Search resuls for: "Banco BPM"

25 mentions found