The Globe and Mail reports in its Saturday, July 29, edition that Laurentian Bank of Canada shed $2.62 to close at $41.05 in Toronto on Friday after The Globe cited unnamed sources that said Bank of Nova Scotia and Toronto-Dominion Bank were taking a pass on submitting bids. The Globe's Stefanie Marotta writes that Barclays analyst John Aiken says their decisions to bow out lower the probability of a sale by 50 per cent. He says, "We do not view the remaining 'Big Six' banks as compelling or as motivated, in comparison." He adds that "should a buyer of Laurentian eventually emerge" with the list shrinking, "the chances of a bidding war for [Laurentian] and driving a bid above book value, would likely diminish." Laurentian's share price has languished over the past year as weaker-than-expected earnings and the failure of California's Silicon Valley Bank and other regional U.S. lenders weighed on its valuation. The stock has hovered near $30 for most of the past year. Laurentian Bank has a book value of about $59 per share. While an acquirer could still emerge, the loss of two major contenders prompts questions around what Laurentian's next move should be if it does not receive any bids.