0957 GMT - Increased risk-taking on the back of the surge in deals among Italian mid-sized players after UniCredit's bid for Banco BPM poses challenges and caution is warranted, Scope Ratings says in a note. "While consolidation can improve efficiency and scale, competitive deal-chasing raises risks of overpaying or entering sub-optimal mergers as competitive positioning, market share considerations and fear of missing out become the main consolidation drivers," analyst Alessandro Boratti writes. Bank mergers and the diversification of banking products as well as interactions with customers becoming digital are inevitable, he adds. Replicating 2024's record results in 2025 will be more challenging amid cost pressures, falling margins and weak loan growth but resilient performance this year is expected, he says. (elena.vardon@wsj.com)
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
February 18, 2025 04:57 ET (09:57 GMT)
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