31.08.2011 - Qatar’s backing for Greek bank merger reflects European push, hope for more global clout
Qatari investors’ decision this week to pump half a billion euros into the merger of Greece’s second and third largest banks is part of a strategy to both expand the Gulf nation’s European investments and boost its international standing, analysts said Tuesday. The $720 million deal is the latest in a shopping spree that has significantly boosted Qatar’s European holdings in recent months, adding to longer-held stakes in continental icons such as Barclays PLC, Credit Suisse Group, Volkswagen AG, and the London Stock Exchange. Just last week, Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund snapped up a 2 percent stake in power company Energias de Portugal..............................................Full Article: Source
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