Market Chatter: Italian Government to Sell Remaining Stake in Monte dei Paschi Amid Intesa Bid

07:11 AM EDT, 08/02/2026 (MT Newswires) -- Italy's finance ministry is looking to divest its remaining 4.9% stake in Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena (BMPS.MI) by September-end, Bloomberg News reported Sunday, citing Italian newspaper La Stampa. As Intesa Sanpaolo (ISP.MI) advances its takeover offer for the fellow Italian lender, the government of Italy wants to hold a neutral position, an unnamed ministry official told La Stampa. Italy's Ministry of Economy and Finance and Monte Paschi did not immediately respond to a request for comment from MT Newswires. (Market Chatter news is derived from conversations with market professionals globally. This information is believed to be from reliable sources but may include rumor and speculation. Accuracy is not guaranteed.)