Deals
Italy Sounded Out UniCredit on Potential Paschi Stake Sale
- Finance Ministry, UniCredit executives discussed holding
- UniCredit CEO won’t consider deal that isn’t capital-neutral
This article is for subscribers only.
Italy has asked UniCredit SpA executives if they would be interested in buying the government’s majority stake in Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena SpA, according to people with knowledge of the matter.
Informal contacts have been made and Italy’s Finance Ministry sees a UniCredit deal as a possible way to exit its majority holding in the bailed out lender, the people said, asking not to be identified because the matter is private. The discussions were preliminary and the ministry is weighing a range of options, they said.