Monte Paschi to offer shares at 1.5 euro in caphike

ROME, April 24 (Reuters) - Italian bank Monte dei Paschi di Siena will offer new shares at 1.5 euros per share in its capital increase that aims to raise about 4.97 billion euros ($7.83 billion), it said in a statement on Thursday.

Monte Paschi's (BMPS.MI: Quote, Profile, Research) shareholders have approved the capital increase as part of plans to raise a total 6 billion euros including a 1 billion convertible bond issue to fund the 9 billion euro purchase of smaller rival Antonveneta.