Italian Banks Surge as Monte dei Paschi di Siena and Mediobanca Announce Merger

Milan, Italy – February 18, 2026 – Italian stock markets experienced a positive start to the trading day, led by significant gains in the banking sector. Monte dei Paschi di Siena (MPS) and Mediobanca saw substantial increases in their share prices following the announcement of a full integration plan between the two institutions.

Market Overview

As of 09:15 am local time, the FTSEMib index was up 0.63% at 46,052 points, whereas the FTSE Italia All Share rose 0.6%. The FTSE Italia Mid Cap and FTSE Italia Star indices saw more modest gains, increasing by 0.05% and decreasing by 0.03% respectively.

Global markets as well showed positive momentum. On February 17, 2026, the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.07% to close at 49,533 points, the S&P 500 rose 0.1% to 6,843 points, and the Nasdaq Composite increased by 0.14% to 22,578 points. The Tokyo Nikkei index led Asian markets with a 1.02% increase, closing at 57,144 points.

MPS and Mediobanca Merger

Monte dei Paschi di Siena’s share price jumped 3.19% to €8.697, while Mediobanca surged 7.36% to €19.48. The gains followed an announcement that MPS’s board of directors approved a full integration with Mediobanca through a merger by incorporation, leading to the delisting of Mediobanca from the Italian stock exchange.

According to a press release from Mediobanca on February 10, 2025, Monte dei Paschi di Siena launched a voluntary public exchange offer for all Mediobanca ordinary shares.

Other Market Movers

Recordati began the day with a 2.2% increase to €48.38, following the release of preliminary financial results for 2025 and the presentation of financial targets for 2026. BFF Bank also experienced gains, rising 1.24% to €3.428 after recent declines. Eurogroup Laminations, however, saw a 0.88% decrease to €1.348 after a previous correction.

Commodities and Currency

Bitcoin surpassed $68,000 (approximately €57,500). The spread between the Italian BTP and German Bund remained around 60 basis points, with the yield on the 10-year BTP slightly above 3.35%. The euro approached $1.185, while gold reached $4,950 and silver exceeded $75.5.

Looking Ahead

The banking sector remains a key focus for investors. The full integration of MPS and Mediobanca is expected to reshape the Italian financial landscape, and further developments will be closely monitored. Recordati’s financial targets for 2026 will also be a point of interest for investors in the pharmaceutical sector.