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AliAngel

11/20/08 9:16 PM

#179569 RE: fastlizzy #179568

AIG may pop in the am.

China's CIC in talks for 49% stake in AIG unit: Nikkei

By Chris Oliver
Last update: 9:00 p.m. EST Nov. 20, 2008Comments: 2
HONG KONG (MarketWatch) -- China's sovereign wealth fund, China Investment Corp. (CIC), is leading a consortium of mainland insurance companies in an effort to acquire up to 49% of American Life Insurance Co. (Alico), a unit of the troubled American International Group (AIG:American International Group, IncAIG 1.44, -0.12, -7.7%) , according to a Japanese media report. The CIC-led consortium is being treated as a preferential bidder and a deadline for the end of the year has been set on the talks, the Nikkei newspaper reported in its Friday morning edition, citing sources familiar with the matter. If CIC gets the green light for the stake purchase, it could open a pathway for additional investments and joint business participation between Chinese insurers and AIG, the report said. AIG is considering a stake sale with the caveat that it retains control of more than 50% of the voting rights in the firm. The 49% stake in Alico may cost the Chinese insurers between $500 billion yen ($5.3 billion) to 1 trillion yen, the report said.
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xZx

11/20/08 9:58 PM

#179571 RE: fastlizzy #179568

fastlizzy, i'm not so sure this selling of the financials is unwarranted. credit default swaps are probably the next shoe to drop and that could get very ugly. the fate of states and municipalities, commercial real estate, and all manner of companies large and small hangs in the balance. liquidity banks that once had sterling credit ratings and could back up all sorts of bonds are now the weakest link in any deal. the whole banking system has been turned on its head and no one has any idea what assets are worth. we may have a nice bear market rally from time to time, but imo this could take months, if not years, to sort out.