Investorsonly purchased about 10% of BancaPopolare di Vicenza SpA's €1.5 billion , leaving Italy's newlycreated bank rescue fund Atlante to acquire the remaining 90% stake, Reuters reported April29, citing "three sources close to the matter."

Thebank earlier extended the offerperiod for its IPO by one day to 1 p.m. Milan time April 29.

AlessandroPenati, chairman of Quaestio Capital Management SGR, which manages Atlante,reportedly said the rescue fund would put on sale any stake it may acquire inPopolare di Vicenza after 18 months.

Atlanteraised €4.25 billion from 67 local and foreign firms to aid Italy's troubledbanks shore up capital and unload bad loans, Bloomberg News reported.

QuaestioCapital said the fund will invest up to 70% of its cash in Italian banks'capital-raising efforts, the news outlet noted. Atlante will subscribe to asmuch as 75% of each bank issue and acquire larger stakes as necessary tocomplete the deals.