UniCredito Italiano considering bid for EFL leasing fund

UniCredito Italiano is considering making a bid for Europejski Fundusz Lesingowy (EFL), one of Poland's largest leasing funds. Maria Wisniewska, chairwoman of Pekao SA, of which UniCredito Italiano is the strategic investor, explained, "Because of the synergies that exist between Pekao SA and EFL we are interested in the company." According to anonymous sources, other bidders for EFL may include Citibank, Credit Agricole, and GE Capital Bank. In related news, during a press conference Wisniewska also announced the launch of a new product, called Eurogwarancja, which will make Pekao SA the third bank in Poland to offer a new type of deposit account for which the interest depends not only on the rate set by the bank, but also on international stock exchange indices - Standard & Poor's, the Nikkei 225, and the Eurostoxx 50. Similar deposit arrangements are offered by Wielkopolski Bank Kredytowy (WBK) through its Euro Index, and Kredyt Banku with its Ekstralokata. The deposit guaranteed interest is 19% over two years, but if the indices exceed this figure, the client receives 70% of the surplus. (Rzeczpospolita, June 2-3 p. B5) J.K.