GE has sold about a 4% stake in Genpact, India’s largest business process outsourcing (BPO) firm, for about $100 million in a private transaction. Following the sale, GE’s stake in the NYSE-listed BPO firm has come down to 18.8% from about 23% earlier. Private equity players General Atlantic and Oak Hill Capital Partners have a combined stake of 52% in Genpact. GE has sold 8 million shares at a price of $12.5 per share. In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Saturday, Genpact said, “GE has agreed to sell, in a private transaction, approximately $100 million of Genpact common shares to an affiliate of a limited partner in one of Genpact’s other shareholders.” Subject to the lock-up agreement that GE entered into with the underwriters of Genpact’s IPO, the 8 million shares would not enter the public trading market as a result of the transaction, it added. “Genpact is a good partner and continues to provide valuable support to our operations. This transaction is simply a part of our normal and on-going portfolio management activities and we look forward to a long and productive relationship,” a GE spokesperson said. […]

Hyderabad-based Ramky Group, which had revenues of Rs1,000 crore last fiscal, is set to unlock value of three of its entities that attracted investments from global private equity (PE) firms through initial public offerings (IPOs). The group has three entities, Ramky Infrastructure Ltd, Ramky Enviro Engineers Ltd (REEL) and Ramky Estates and Farms Pvt. Ltd (REFL). The group is valued at around $3 billion (Rs11,880 crore). Global PE players that picked up minority holdings in these companies include Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services Ltd (IL&FS), Sabre-Abraaj Capital, Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. and Deutsche Bank AG. The first off the block with its IPO will be Ramky Infrastructure—a Rs720 crore company in revenues last year, which is mainly into developing industrial estates. Ramky Infrastructure plans to go public sometime in the first quarter of next year. […]

Italy's Prysmian Group is poised to fork out a minimum of Rs 130 crore to acquire a majority 60% stake in Kolkata-based Nicco Corporation’s industrial cables business. Nicco will spin off its cables business into a distinct JV company, christened Nicco Cables, in which Prysmian Cable Moulding, Netherlands will hold 60% while the balance 40% stake will be held by Nicco. Nicco has just inked a JV agreement with Prysmian Cable Molding. “The entire cables business of Nicco will be transferred into the new company in which Prysmian will have a 60% shareholding,” Nicco chairman Rajive Kaul told ET on Tuesday. Nicco is likely to receive a consideration of Rs 130 crore for transfer of its cables division. According to the contractual arrangement, the Nicco Cables board will consist of five directors, three of them including the managing director will be appointed by Prysmian and other two, including the chairman, will be appointed by Nicco. Rajive Kaul will be chairman of the new company, while Prysmian will be responsible for managing the JV’s operations. […]

Asia-focused British bank Standard Chartered said on Tuesday it plans to invest $50 million in Indian brokerage UTI Securities Ltd until 2010. It also said it has received the Reserve Bank of India's approval for its 49 per cent acquisition in UTI Securities. The bank has the option to raise its stake to 100 per cent in phases by 2010, it said in a statement. UTI Securities offers broking, wealth management and investment banking services across 60 cities in India. (Sify) […]

Business conglomerate Essar group is understood to have initiated discussions for acquiring 50% stake in a Kenyan refinery from international oil players as part of its move for a global footprint. The refinery in Mombasa, in which the government of Kenya owns a 50% stake, has an annual production capacity of about 4 million tonne. According to sources close to the development, Essar is looking to buy out the remaining 50% stake held by three global energy giants – Chevron, Royal Dutch and British Petroleum – in Kenyan Refinery and Petroleum. Essar is looking at this potential deal, the announcement for which is expected shortly, in pursuance with its worldwide expansion plans and it would further expand its presence in the African sub-continent. The group already has three exploration and production blocks in Madagascar and one additional block in Nigeria. […]