Monte Paschi to Start Share Sale in Effort to Avert State Rescue

Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena SpA will begin taking orders for shares Monday as it aims to complete raising 5 billion euros by the end of the year to avoid a rescue by the Italian government. Monte Paschi will sell stock to institutional investors through Thursday, while the offer for retail investors will end on Wednesday, the Siena, Italy-based bank said in a statement Sunday.