1353 GMT - Commerzbank's CEO Bettina Orlopp faces a make-or-break moment to convince shareholders that the bank should stay independent when she outlines a new strategy on Thursday, Mergermarket analyst William Cain says. Italy's UniCredit has built up a 28% stake in its German peer, and signaled its intention to pursue a takeover when the moment is right. This has triggered opposition from politicians and union leaders and led Commerzbank to reiterate its standalone prospects. "If the presentation falls flat, it will embolden UniCredit CEO Andrea Orcel to move forward with plans to make an offer, but Orcel and UniCredit are also likely to need to win support from Germany's politicians before proposing a deal--hostile, cross-border bank M&A has been rare since the financial crisis," Cain says. (elena.vardon@wsj.com)
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
February 12, 2025 08:53 ET (13:53 GMT)
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