Italian Treasury prepares accelerated sale of Monte dei Paschi di Siena stake

The Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance is reportedly ready to dispose of the remaining 4.863% shareholding it holds in Monte dei Paschi di Siena (MPS) through an Accelerated Bookbuilding (ABB) transaction. Sources say the Treasury could launch the offer in the first market window after the close of trading on Tuesday, with a deadline of 8 July to collect orders before a mandatory “black period” that would last until the end of August.

Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti has previously described the ABB route as a standard option for the Treasury, but the ministry publicly denied the rumours while multiple financial‑sector sources confirmed the plan. The move recalls a similar accelerated sale in November 2024, when the Treasury off‑loaded 15% of MPS in minutes, an operation that later triggered a judicial investigation. Critics warn that the new sale could affect the ongoing OPAS restructuring and raise questions about the ministry’s role as both regulator and participant in the bank’s ownership reshuffle.