The Italian group UNICREDITO (not consolidated profits of 503.4 million euro in the first quarter 2000) has announced the acquisition of the fund management activities o the American investment firm PRIONEER GROUP ($34.4 million profits in 1999) for $1.25 bn, or $43.5 a share. PIONEER will be merged with EUROPLUS RESEARCH AND MANAGEMENT, UNICREDITO's asset management branch, so as to constitute an investment firm named PIONEER GLOBAL ASSET MANAGEMENT that will be Europe's number three in...