Analys: Dålig lösning är den enda lösningen för Monte

Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena S.p.A. (Italian pronunciation: [ˈbanka ˈmonte dei ˈpaski di ˈsjɛːna]) (BMPS) is the oldest surviving bank in the world and the Italian third largest commercial and retail bank by total assets, according to research from Ricerche e Studi, using 2014 data. However, the proposed merger of Banco Popolare and Banca Popolare di Milano would make Banca MPS ranked as the joint-third, using 2015 data (both around €170 billion total assets as at 31 December 2015). Founded in 1472 by the magistrate of the city state of Siena, Italy, as a "mount of piety", it has been operating ever since. In 1995 the bank (Monte dei Paschi di Siena) was transformed from a statutory corporation to a limited company (Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena), which Fondazione Monte dei Paschi di Siena was the by-product to continue the charity function of the bank. Today Banca MPS has approximately 2,100 branches, 26,000 employees and 5.3 million customers in Italy, as well as branches and businesses abroad. A subsidiary, MPS Capital Services, handles corporate and investment banking. Banca MPS's largest shareholder was the Fondazione Monte dei Paschi di Siena before the 2013 bailout.