Italian banks enjoy "dream" economic start despite challenges: media

ROME, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- Italy's two major banks enjoyed a "dream" first half of the year, which earned over 4.6 billion euros (4.7 billion U.S. dollars) in profit despite global and domestic turbulence, a leading Italian publication reported on Monday.

Banca Intesa Sanpaolo and Unicredit together earned some 4.64 billion euros in the first six months of the year according to the banks' latest financial reports.