MODENA (MF-Dow Jones)--Banca Popolare Emilia Romagna (BPE.MI)
Chief Executive Fabrizio Viola said Wednesday the Italian mutual
bank is considering to seek funds through a government aid package
aimed at boosting the capital ratios of domestic banks.
Speaking at a presentation, Viola ruled out the possibility that
Popolare Emilia Romagna will announce a capital hike. He said its
core Tier 1 ratio will deteriorate in the first half of the year,
but will still be above 6%.
As of Wednesday, among domestic banks only Banco Popolare
(BP.MI) and UniCredit SpA (UCG.MI) had announced they were going to
seek funds through the so-called Tremonti bonds.
Last Saturday Intesa Sanpaolo (ISP.MI) CEO Corrado Passera said
that any decision (on seeking the funds) will be taken at a board
meeting scheduled March 20 when the bank will also approve its 2008
results.
At 1220 GMT shares of Banca Popolare dell'Emilia Romagna were
trading up EUR0.18, or 2.2%, at EUR8.48, in line with an overall
positive market.
-By Rosario Murgida with MF-Dow Jones, Dow Jones Newswires, +39
02 5821 9901; sabrina.cohen@dowjones.com
