The Finnish-Swedish group MERITANORDBANKEN has announced a further extension of its bid for the Norwegian bank CHRISTIANA, for the unchanged price of NEK 44 a share, a bid now valid until 3 March. EUROPE would point out that Norwegian public authorities, reluctant to sell, have not yet taken a final decision on the 35% state-owned share in CHRISTIANA. See, among others, EI of 26 January.