Shares in Banca Intesa SPA and Sanpaolo IMI SPA fell Monday following the weekend announcement that Italy’s No. 2 and No. 3 banks will merge, a move expected to usher in an era of consolidation of Italy’s banking sector.
Source: news.yahoo.com

Fund stakes out middle ground 
Mezzanine debt bridges the divide between loans and venture capital. When Bob D’Acquisto in 2005 opened the California office of Snowbird Capital, an entrepreneur-financing fund with headquarters in Reston, Va., he naturally headed for gold country: Silicon Valley.
Source: www.ocregister.com

CONGRATULATIONS 
Scott Dillashaw has joined First Bank as branch president of the McKinney office. He will handle commercial loans and deposits. Mr. Dillashaw has 12 years of experience in banking and more than six years in the McKinney/northern Collin County market.
Source: www.dallasnews.com