By Valentina Za MILAN (Reuters) -UniCredit CEO Andrea Orcel on Tuesday pledged to keep this year's profit steady despite easing revenue, and said the Italian bank would decide whether to bid for Germany's Commerzbank only in three to five quarters.

The Italian bank said it expected net profit to be broadly in line with 2024’s result despite an expected dip in revenue as lower interest rates eat into its top line.

UniCredit on Tuesday posted better than expected 2024 earnings and said it aimed to keep profit stable this year despite declining rates, promising to increase shareholder rewards in 2025-2027. After years of record profits and investor payouts fuelled by the ECB's rate hiking cycle,

The bank reported higher-than-expected profit but forecasts a modest revenue slowdown in the year ahead as net interest income falls. View on euronews