MILAN (Reuters) - Italian bank Monte dei Paschi di Siena (MI:BMPS) said market regulator Consob had approved its debt-to-equity conversion offer which would be launched at 1300 GMT on Monday and run until 1500 GMT on Friday, barring an extension.
The bond swap is a key plank of a challenging 5 billion euro ($5.3 billion) capital raising plan aimed at keeping Italy's third-largest bank in business after it emerged as Europe's most vulnerable lender in July industry stress tests.
The plan is seen at risk of failing due to a referendum vote on Dec. 4 on a constitutional reform which could prompt Italy's government to resign fuelling political instability.
A failed recapitalisation risks having a domino effect on Italy's battered banking sector, where another seven lenders may need fresh capital to stay afloat.
Monte dei Paschi said its debt-to-equity swap targeted 10 subordinated bonds with a nominal outstanding amount of 4.3 billion euros.
Monte dei Paschi estimates the swap could raise around 1 billion euros in capital, reducing the amount of a proposed share issue which has so far failed to attract firm interest from investors.
The offer is aimed at both retail and institutional investors with the exception of a 2.1 billion euro 2018 Upper Tier II bond, for which the swap is reserved to retail investors who own most of it.
Contrary to expectations, the bank said it had for the time being decided not to include in the offer so-called FRESH preferred securities worth 1 billion euros. The Italian press has reported some foreign funds have bought those notes with the goal of converting them.
A further 106.5 million euro bond will be included in the offer if bondholders representing at least 50 percent of the nominal value of the bond approve it.
Monte dei Paschi said a similar consent solicitation concluded on Friday on FRESH notes worth a residual 29 million euros had failed to reach the necessary approval threshold.
Shares in Monte dei Paschi fell 12 percent before being suspended from trading.
($1 = 0.9383 euros)