Egypt's CIB board asks management to consider making offer for Citigroup retail ops

The board of Egypt's Commercial International Bank (CIB) said on Sunday it has asked its management to decide whether to submit a binding offer for Citigroup's retail portfolio in Egypt after a due diligence process.

Citigroup said last year it was pulling out of consumer banking in 11 markets, including Japan and Egypt, as the U.S. bank with the biggest international business looks to cut its persistently high costs.

The third-largest U.S. bank, built with a series of acquisitions spanning back to the 1980s, has been trying to slim down since the financial crisis to be as profitable as its rivals.