BCP -BANCO COMERCIAL PORTUGUES-, Portugal's leading private financial group, has bought from MELLO (sales of EUR 1.6 billion in 1998) 100% of the capital of UNIPARTICIPA and FININPER, which directly control 51% of BANCO MELLO and 51% of the insurance company IMPERIO. The transaction, estimated globally to be worth EUR 643 million, will be followed by public takeover bids targeted at minority shareholders in BANCO MELLO and IMPERIO. In exchange, MELLO becomes BCP's leading shareholder with 9%.