FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Deutsche Bank is considering a capital increase of up to 9 billion euros ($11.43 billion) to bolster its balance sheet as Basel capital requirements are finalized, two people familiar with the matter said.
The plans have not yet been formalized, but such a move could help Deutsche Bank tap markets early on as a raft of banks are expected to raise capital to meet new regulatory capital requirements that are being formalized this weekend, two sources said.
The sources said the capital increase would also allow Deutsche Bank to raise its stake in Deutsche Postbank
Deutsche Bank declined to comment.
The timing of the capital increase was uncertain but could come as soon as next week, one of the sources said. Another source said the capital increase could take several weeks.
Deutsche Bank is sounding out investment banks about the capital increase, another source said.
Consolidating Postbank would give Deutsche Bank access to Postbank's 14 million clients and help diversify its business away from the volatile earnings of investment banking.
Earlier Thursday, Deutsche Postbank Chief Executive Stefan Juette told a banking conference he did not know when or whether Deutsche Bank would increase its stake.
News of the possible capital increase by Deutsche Bank was first reported by Bloomberg.
(Reporting by Edward Taylor, Philipp Halstrick and Alexander Huebner; Editing by Gary Hill)