U.S. fund Blackrock owns 5.748% of Monte dei Paschi di Siena

Holdings boosted when MPS foundation sold 12% of bank

(ANSA) - Milan, March 21 - United States fund Blackrock has a 5.748% stake in Monte dei Paschi di Siena, the world's oldest bank operating bank, stock market watchdog Consob said Friday.

The fund raised its holdings last Tuesday in the troubled Tuscan lender to more than 5%, the threshold over which Consob makes investments public. That same day, the Siena-based banking foundation that is Monte dei Paschi's largest shareholder sold a 12% stake in the troubled bank.