(Adds comments on merger with Banco Popolare)
MILAN (Thomson Financial) - UBI Banca is interested in acquiring branches
and in merging with other co-operative banks, dailies Il Sole 24 Ore and La
Repubblica said on Sunday, citing CEO Giampiero Auletta Armenise.
Auletta Armenise said UBI will look at the branches that Banca Monte dei
Paschi di Siena SpA must sell to ease competition concerns, Il Sole reported.
In La Repubblica, Auletta Armenise was quoted as saying that "in theory", a
merger with Banco Popolare would make sense but would also be a complex
operation.
However, he said that since talk of a potential merger beteen the two banks
was "categorically denied" at the end of 2007, there have been no developments.
He also said first-quarter net profit rose slightly compared with a year
earlier.
danilo.masoni@thomsonreuters.com
dm/dm/wj
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