FRANKFURT (dpa-AFX) - Deutsche Bank AG's (DB) top executives have agreed to hold discussions with rival Commerzbank AG about a potential merger, as Germany's two biggest banks explore strategic options after suffering prolonged performance and share-price declines, according to reports citing people familiar with the matter.
The informal talks reflect a deepening willingness by Deutsche Bank's management board to engage in a possible tie-up, though executives this week continued to see a potential merger as one option, the report said.
Heightened pressure on the banks from German government officials to address their lagging performance, and consider in more detail how a merger might take shape, also factored into recent discussions, the report said.
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