MILAN (MF-Dow Jones)--Intesa Sanpaolo SpA's (ISP.MI) chief
executive said Wednesday the Italian bank's asset management arm
Fideuram is examining a potential purchase of Banca Sara.
"We're looking at it," Corrado Passera told reporters on the
sidelines of an event.
Early in the day, business daily Finanza e Mercati said Fideuram
could be interested in buying Banca Sara, a unit of Sara
Assicurazioni, an insurer controlled by an automobile
association.
Sara has renewed its search for a buyer for Banca Sara after
failing to reach a deal with a number of contenders including
Mediolanum SpA (MED.MI).
At 1524 GMT, Intesa's stock was 2.62% higher at EUR2.54 in
Milan.
-By Alessandro Mocenni, MF-Dow Jones; Gilles Castonguay, Dow
Jones Newswires; +39 02 5821 9908;
gilles.castonguay@dowjones.com