Milan prosecutors are reportedly preparing to charge the head of Banca Popolare Italiana and two of his shareholder backers for market abuse relating to the bank's bids for Banca Antonveneta. An investigation was started in May.

Dow Jones Newswires reports that prosecutors hope to issue indictment requests to Gianpiero Fiorani, chief executive of Pop Italiana, as well as Stefano Ricucci, a real estate magnate and Emilio Gnutti, an Italian financier who supported Pop Italiana's bid.