Police called in over battle for Italian bank

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By Stephen Foley
03 May 2005


Milan prosecutors have opened an investigation into the bitter takeover battle for Banca Antonveneta, focusing on possible market rigging and regulatory obstruction.

Banca Popolare di Lodi and the Dutch group ABN Amro are both vying to take over Antonveneta, one of the country's top 10 banks, in what is being seen as a test case for cross-border mergers involving Italy.

Prosecutors opened the investigation after "interested parties" close to ABN lodged a complaint on Thursday. No one has been named as a target of the investigation, which focuses on possible market rigging and obstructing the work of the stock market regulator Consob, sources said.

Italy's finance police seized documents from Lodi, it was reported.

http://news.independent.co.uk/europe/story.jsp?story=635219