The government said it won’t offload any additional shares in the bank following the sale to UniCredit for €702 million. The move marks an U-turn for the government.

Commerzbank is setting itself higher profitability targets in its battle with the Italian bank UniCredit, which is pursuing a growing stake in the German lender. Commerzbank on Thursday announced plans to increase the return on equity for investors by more than 12% by 2027,

Employees of Commerzbank protest against a potential takeover battle by UniCredit, in front of the Commerzbank headquarters in Frankfurt, Germany, September 24, 2024. The placard reads “Safe workplaces for Commerzbank employees.” REUTERS/Tilmann Blasshofer