UniCredit is set to raise its stake in Greece's Alpha Bank to 29.5%, following approval from the European Central Bank, Bloomberg reported. The move marks the latest step in the Italian lender's ongoing effort to deepen its presence in the Greek financial sector. According to Bloomberg, the decision follows earlier stake increases in May and August this year, continuing a strategy launched in Oct. 2023 when UniCredit first acquired a 9% holding in Alpha Bank alongside the purchase of its Romanian unit. Greek authorities have reportedly welcomed UniCredit's growing involvement-a contrast to the resistance the bank has faced in other European markets. The report highlights that UniCredit's CEO, Andrea Orcel, has been behind some of Europe's largest attempted mergers and acquisitions in recent years. While his bids for Germany's Commerzbank AG and Italy's Banco BPM SpA met political pushback, the Alpha Bank investment has stood out as a...