Shares of Deutsche Bank slumped nearly 5 percent Thursday after a report said the embattled German lender is gearing up for a potential merger with rival Commerzbank by mid-2019.
The report, from Bloomberg citing anonymous sources, noted the deal is being brokered by the German government and would happen if efforts to restructure the bank fell short of targets.
A spokesperson for Deutsche Bank declined to comment on the report when contacted by CNBC.
