Italy's top bank UniCredito on Sunday declined to comment on an Austrian newspaper report that remaining details of its take-over of Germany's number-two lender HVB Group would be finalised on Monday. A spokesman for UniCredito in Italy said: "We have no comment on this," referring to the Austrian report. Austrian paper Die Presse had quoted an unnamed "top executive" of UniCredito in its Sunday on-line edition as saying on Friday, "We have decided on a merger with HVB and we are close to settling the last open questions."
The executive said those questions would be settled in talks on Monday, adding the price of the deal remained open.
HVB also declined to comment on the Austrian newspaper report.
A source familiar with the situation told Reuters: "The deal is far from being there."
Speculation about a pending merger that would create the largest bank by far in fast-growing and lucrative eastern Europe drove HVB shares to a year high on Friday.
Reuters reported on Friday that sources familiar with the situation said UniCredito was in talks to buy HVB but that key details including price had not been finalised.
The two banks declined to comment after the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday they were in advanced talks and UniCredito could pay 16 billion euros for HVB, probably in stock.
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