VENTURE CAPITAL POST

Italian lender Monte dei Paschi di Siena expects to complete its planned capital increase by July and can use divestments to help plug a hole in its balance sheet, Chairman Alessandro Profumo told an Austrian newspaper.

Chinese financial firms are targeting purchases of distressed banking assets coming on the market in Europe, having been urged by Beijing to expand their reach beyond emerging markets.

The European Central Bank is monitoring the liquidity position of the euro zone banks under its supervision on a daily basis, Italian bank Monte dei Paschi di Siena (BMPS.MI) and two other Italian banking sources said on Friday.

Labor unions at Italy's Monte dei Paschi di Siena (BMPS.MI) on Thursday urged the Italian government to resist what they said was pressure from the European Union for the bank to merge with another group.

Monte dei Paschi di Siena (BMPS.MI) will tap investors for up to 2.5 billion euros next year to fill a capital deficit laid bare by recent stress tests and pay back state aid in a move bankers said would prepare the Italian lender for a likely takeover.

A Reuters report said Alessandro Profumo, chairman of Monte dei Paschi di Siena, will be revealing his decision whether to stay or resign from his post at the Italian lender in a January meeting.

The intention of Monte dei Paschi di Siena's largest shareholder to postpone the planned cash call until the middle of next year has irked Profumo and chief executive officer Fabrizio Viola.

Fondazione Monte dei Paschi, Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena's top shareholder, is reportedly nearing a deal to divest its 20% stake in the Italian bank to three other banking foundations and a group of investment funds.

Monte dei Paschi di Siena's board has opposed a proposal by its top investor to push back a €3 billion cash call to May next year. Monte Paschi's largest shareholder earlier threatened to vote against the impeding capital increase.

The following bids, mergers, acquisitions and disposals were reported on Wednesday including Sinopec, Apache, AMR, US Airways, Deutsche Bank, EDF, Oxford, Andor, Bank Zachodni WBK, Shuanghui, Campofrio, OCZ, Toshiba and CVS Caremark.

The following bids, mergers, acquisitions and disposals were reported on Monday including Greece banking, Fiat, BOFA, Mechel, Saputo, RBS, Lohmann, Carlyle Group, Monte dei Paschi di Siena, Kuwait Airways, Dubai Holding, SunEdison, Blackstone, Greece National Bank, IMG Worldwide, KKR, Babcock, AMR, Orrick, BAC and Fisker Automotive.

EU Competition Commissioner Jaoquin Almunia said that it would discuss a state bailout for Italian bank Monte dei Paschi di Siena with the country's Economy Minister on Saturday.