29th Jan 2007 17:14
Banco Santander Central Hispano SA29 January 2007 MATERIAL FACT Grupo Santander hereby notifies that it has reached today an agreement withBanco Comercial Portugues for the sale to the latter institution of 44.6 millionshares of the Portuguese bank BPI, representing 5.87% of BPI's capital, at aprice of 5.70 euros per share, the bid BCP has made in its pending public offerover BPI, or higher should BCP revise its public offer bid upwards. The sale may be executed in one or several tranches. When completed, which isexpected to take place in the next few months, it will generate for GrupoSantander a net capital gain of euros 88 million approximately. Grupo Santander also notifies that today Banco Comercial Portugues' CEO hasexpressed to Banco Santander Totta's CEO the commitment to award Grupo Santandera qualified right on any disposal of assets it might have to make in Portugal asa condition set by the Portuguese Competition Authority to allow its bid overBPI to proceed. The aforementioned agreement is subject to the necessary legal and regulatoryapprovals and no mandatory impact in the offer conditions BCP's public takeoverbid over BPI. Boadilla del Monte (Madrid), January 29th, 2007 This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock ExchangeRelated Shares:
Banco Santander