2007年11月14日 美国银行持股中国建行将获巨利
美国银行(Bank of America)昨日表示,对中国建设银行(China Construction Bank)的投资目前可能获利逾300亿美元,这突显一些西方银行通过持股中国的银行,获得了丰厚的账面利润。 Bank of America yesterday said it was sitting on a potential gain of more than $30bn on its investment in China Construction Bank, highlighting the paper profits some western banks have made on holdings in their Chinese counterparts. BofA paid $3bn two years ago for an 8.5 per cent stake in CCB and an option to increase to 19.9 per cent at a very low price. The bank plans to record a gain of about $16bn on its existing stake in the fourth quarter. "On paper we have a potential gain in excess of $30bn," said Joe Price, BofA's chief financial officer, adding that it would be able to cash in some of its holding over the next 2 to 3 years. Other western banks, including HSBC, Royal Bank of Scotland, Goldman Sachs and Merrill Lynch, made similar investments in Chinese banks that have generated large gains thanks to soaring Chinese stock prices. BofA's potential gain more than outweighs the problems it faces so far as a result of the US subprime mortgage meltdown. Mr Price yesterday said BofA was facing a further $3bn of writedowns on its subprime-related holdings. The estimated losses were in line with some analysts' expectations and the shares were up 3 per cent at $45.40 at noon in New York, valuing the bank at just over $200bn. BofA had carried the CCB stake in its books at cost but has to "mark it to market" under new accounting rules. The stake was worth about $19bn last week. BofA's windfall contrasts with rival Citigroup, which fought a long battle to get control of Guangdong Development Bank, a struggling lender in the south. Citi yesterday unveiled a further shake-up of its capital markets operation. Chad Leat, Citi's US head of credit, and Mark Watson, his European counterpart, are being sidelined in the reorganisation. Citi's share price was up nearly 5 per cent at noon in New York. |