Regulators to scrutinise any Commerzbank-UniCredit deal, Nagel says
Recasts
BERLIN, Sept 13 (Reuters) - The head of Germany's central bank said on Friday that authorities would take a "very close look" at UniCredit's CRDI.MI overtures to potentially buy Germany's Commerzbank CBKG.DE, a sign that any deal would come under intense scrutiny.
The comments by Joachim Nagel, head of the Bundesbank, are the most extensive by a top supervisor since Italy's second-largest bank swooped to take a 9% stake in Commerzbank.
That move caught German authorities off guard and got a hostile reception from local management who want to fend it off.
Nagel, speaking in an interview with German Radio, said what matters most is that business models complement each other and that the resulting bank is competitive.
"The supervisory authorities will also take a very close look at this," Nagel said.
A takeover by Unicredit would be a rare cross-border bank merger within Europe, and the biggest attempt at a deal since Deutsche Bank and Commerzbank briefly held merger talks in 2019 before calling them off.
Nagel said strong banks were needed, a common refrain from authorities and bankers for whom the tumult of the global financial crisis and the stresses of the ensuing years are still fresh.
"In this case, it will also depend precisely on how we can succeed in ensuring a robust, strong banking market here. And I am confident that the players here will act responsibly," Nagel said.
European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde told reporters on Thursday: "Cross-border mergers have been hoped for by many authorities, and it will be very interesting to see that process unfold in the weeks to come."
UniCredit's Commerzbank swoop fires up divisive debate in Germany nL8N3KU15F
How UniCredit swept up a stake in Commerzbank in bid to grow in Germany nL6N3KT0MQ
Commerzbank seeks to fend off potential UniCredit takeover, sources say nL8N3KT1LC
Reporting by Rachel More and Tom Sims; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman and Kevin Liffey
Related Assets
Latest News
Disclaimer: The XM Group entities provide execution-only service and access to our Online Trading Facility, permitting a person to view and/or use the content available on or via the website, is not intended to change or expand on this, nor does it change or expand on this. Such access and use are always subject to: (i) Terms and Conditions; (ii) Risk Warnings; and (iii) Full Disclaimer. Such content is therefore provided as no more than general information. Particularly, please be aware that the contents of our Online Trading Facility are neither a solicitation, nor an offer to enter any transactions on the financial markets. Trading on any financial market involves a significant level of risk to your capital.
All material published on our Online Trading Facility is intended for educational/informational purposes only, and does not contain – nor should it be considered as containing – financial, investment tax or trading advice and recommendations; or a record of our trading prices; or an offer of, or solicitation for, a transaction in any financial instruments; or unsolicited financial promotions to you.
Any third-party content, as well as content prepared by XM, such as: opinions, news, research, analyses, prices and other information or links to third-party sites contained on this website are provided on an “as-is” basis, as general market commentary, and do not constitute investment advice. To the extent that any content is construed as investment research, you must note and accept that the content was not intended to and has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such, it would be considered as marketing communication under the relevant laws and regulations. Please ensure that you have read and understood our Notification on Non-Independent Investment. Research and Risk Warning concerning the foregoing information, which can be accessed here.
