1328 GMT - Europe's politicians are starting to understand what needs to be done to make the continent more competitive and bridge the current investment gap, BBVA's chair told CNBC at the World Economic Forum in Davos. This is partly due to all the talk at the event around competitiveness, Carlos Torres Vila says. "I think they're coming to understand, and I think M&A is back on the table in Europe," he adds, pointing to the need for larger companies across industries. He highlights the need to push for a capital markets union so that Europe's large savings stay in the continent to invest in European projects. In the meantime, a banking union is essential as three quarters of the financing for investment comes from banks while the remaining quarter is from capital markets, he adds. (elena.vardon@wsj.com)
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
January 23, 2025 08:28 ET (13:28 GMT)
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