UNI Unipol Gruppo SpA

By Manuela Mesco

MILAN--Investment management firm BlackRock Inc. (BLK) holds 5.03% in Italian Unipol Gruppo Finanziario SpA (UNI.MI), Italian regulator Consob said Wednesday.

The New York-headquartered firm has been holding the shares since July 30, Consob added in a statement. The regulator said that the acquisition is external to the capital increases that came as part of the merger between Unipol, Fondiaria-SAI SpA (FSA.MI) and related entities.

Last week, Unipol said its 1.1 billion euro ($1.36 billion) capital increase was 72.9% subscribed and that it will offer the unsubscribed options rights at a later date.

BlackRock declined to comment on whether they held shares in Unipol before July 30.

Write to Manuela Mesco at manuela.mesco@dowjones.com

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