The boards of DEXIA and ARTESIA BANKING CORPORATION have given their go ahead to the merger between the two groups. According to the draft agreement, ARCOFIN HOLDING will bring its 99.6% stake in ARTESIA BC in exchange for 17.9 million DEXIA shares, representing a 15.5% stake in the Franco-Belgian group, in which it will become the majority shareholder just ahead of the HOLDING COMMUNAL (15.3%). This acquisition values ARTESIA BC at EUR 3.3 billion. The integration of ARTESIA, whose name...