The chairman and deputy chairman of Italian insurer Unipol, which is bidding €5bn ($5.9bn) for Italy's Banca Nazionale del Lavoro, have resigned. Both men are reported to be under investigation for possible market rigging and regulatory obstruction.

A spokesman for Unipol said chairman Giovanni Consorte and deputy chairman Ivano Sacchetti, who also serve as the insurer's joint chief executives, will stand down on January 9th.