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China approves HSBC's $9.4 bn Ping An stake sale

by Bill Savadove

SHANGHAI, Feb 2, 2013 (AFP) - China said Friday it had approved British bank HSBC's sale of its stake in insurance giant Ping An to a Thai conglomerate for $9.4 billion, ending speculation that the deal was on the verge of collapse.

Regulators in Beijing gave the green light just hours before a deadline despite reports in Hong Kong media that they were ready to reject the bid over concerns about funding for the purchase.

HSBC also confirmed that it had received approval to sell the 15.57 percent stake and said it would complete the transfer of its shares to subsidiaries of Charoen Pokphand Group, owned by Thai tycoon Dhanin Chearavanont, on February 6.

"We have been informed that CIRC (China Insurance Regulatory Commission) approval was granted today," HSBC said in a statement.

Charoen Pokphand, which began as an agricultural business but has grown into a huge conglomerate, said it made the payment for the full purchase price to HSBC, according to a separate statement.

Doubts emerged about the deal last month after China's insurance regulator said that it had asked Ping An for more information about the proposed sale.

The government agency was reportedly worried about the source of the massive financing required and whether the Thai firm was the real buyer of the stake, media reports said.

Analysts see the deal, which was announced on December 5, as a way for HSBC to shift back towards its traditional banking business and raise funds.

In December, HSBC avoided US prosecution by agreeing to pay $1.92 billion in fines and to undertake sweeping reforms of its management and compliance systems in a deal with US regulators and justice authorities.

US authorities accused HSBC of intentionally breaking its sanctions on Iran and other countries, and laundering Mexican drug money to build its business.

Ping An, China's second largest life insurer, has previously said it did not plan any changes in strategy as a result of having a new stakeholder.

Ping An hit the headlines last year after the New York Times said that Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's relatives benefited ahead of its 2004 Hong Kong listing by buying stock at a discount. It did not accuse Wen of any wrongdoing.

The Chinese insurer said at the time that the paper's reporting contained "serious inaccuracies, facts being distorted and taken out of context, as well as flawed logic".

Ping An Insurance closed up 5.29 percent to 50.77 yuan ($8.15) in Shanghai trading on Friday ahead of the announcement, and rose 1.87 percent to HK$70.85 ($9.13) in Hong Kong.

HSBC slid 0.34 percent to HK$88.00 in Hong Kong trading on Friday.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2013-02-02

[Rancid]

China, one of the few places even more corrupt than Thailand. The Thai company should feel right at home.