Trump Endorses Japan’s Sanae Takaichi Ahead of Crucial Election Amid Market and China Tensions 
Why Trump’s new pick for Fed chair hit gold and silver markets – for good reasons 
China Extends Gold Buying Streak as Reserves Surge Despite Volatile Prices 
SpaceX Pushes for Early Stock Index Inclusion Ahead of Potential Record-Breaking IPO 
Fed Governor Lisa Cook Warns Inflation Risks Remain as Rates Stay Steady 
Marco Rubio Steps Down as Acting U.S. Archivist Amid Federal Law Limits 
Instagram Outage Disrupts Thousands of U.S. Users 
Washington Post Publisher Will Lewis Steps Down After Layoffs 
South Africa Eyes ECB Repo Lines as Inflation Eases and Rate Cuts Loom 
Rio Tinto Shares Hit Record High After Ending Glencore Merger Talks 
Japan Election 2026: Sanae Takaichi Poised for Landslide Win Despite Record Snowfall 
BOJ Holds Interest Rates Steady, Upgrades Growth and Inflation Outlook for Japan 
Uber Ordered to Pay $8.5 Million in Bellwether Sexual Assault Lawsuit 
TSMC Eyes 3nm Chip Production in Japan with $17 Billion Kumamoto Investment 
Nvidia Nears $20 Billion OpenAI Investment as AI Funding Race Intensifies 
Prudential Financial Reports Higher Q4 Profit on Strong Underwriting and Investment Gains 
Tencent Shares Slide After WeChat Restricts YuanBao AI Promotional Links 
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has downplayed the likelihood of Italy’s UniCredit launching a full acquisition of German lender Commerzbank (ETR: CBKG) in the near term. Speaking at a press conference in Rome after meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Merz confirmed that the current 28% stake UniCredit holds in Commerzbank remains below the legal 30% threshold that would mandate a formal takeover offer under German law.
UniCredit, which received approval from the European Central Bank in March to increase its stake to 29.9%, has stated the holding is purely a financial investment. The Italian bank has pushed any decision on a potential takeover of Commerzbank to 2026 or 2027, even while acknowledging that a full acquisition would be the most strategic outcome.
Merz reiterated that there are no immediate concerns or discussions between the two governments regarding a merger. “It is not foreseeable that this level will be reached or crossed,” he said, adding that no talks on Commerzbank took place during his meeting with Meloni. “We would only address the matter if circumstances change.”
The German finance ministry also dismissed recent media reports suggesting Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil might hold talks with his Italian counterpart over UniCredit’s ambitions. Merz has previously warned that a takeover of Commerzbank by UniCredit would be “devastating” for Germany, indicating Berlin’s clear stance against foreign acquisition of key national financial institutions.
The potential merger between UniCredit and Commerzbank continues to draw scrutiny as the Italian lender edges close to the critical threshold, yet political resistance and regulatory caution are likely to delay any concrete moves.
