Deals
Deutsche Bank's Path to a Game-Changing Merger Got Bumpier
- Differing opinions in German finance reflects deal complexity
- Either a domestic or European merger would be a tough sell
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Finding a merger partner for Deutsche Bank AG was never going to be easy, and now some key power players in German finance are making it even more complicated.
On one side, influential figures in the government favor a tie-up with smaller domestic rival Commerzbank AG to create a national banking champion with the size and scope to accompany German exporters around the world. It’s an enticing project for Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government, which owns 15 percent of Commerzbank and is keen to fortify the country’s financial sector before another downturn hits.