It is no surprise that branches have been behind a series of recent banking deals.

Has all this publicity about old Lydell's big banking deals given you stage fright?

So I don't think an analyst is going to throw that away for a bad banking deal.

For the near term, Mr. Lewis will be prohibited by law from doing another big banking deal.

Unicredito's stock rose after the deal was announced, and already financial markets are buzzing about where the next cross-border banking deal may happen.

As part of his portfolio he will also have a mandate to work with clients on banking deals, Morgan Stanley said.

And cross-border banking deals have been slow to materialize.

"Right now we could be having banking deals, but I don't know what they are."

If successful, this would be the fourth major cross-border banking deal in Europe in three years.

Either bid would be the largest banking deal ever.