Shares in South African cellphone group MTN fell as much as 6,3% after it said it had ended exclusive talks with India’s Reliance Communications.
MTN Group said on Friday it was unable to reach a deal with India’s Reliance Communications and the companies mutually decided to end talks.
The feud between India’s billionaire Ambani brothers has flared up after arbitration proceedings were started against Reliance Communications.
MTN Group and India’s Reliance Communications have extended exclusive talks on a potential combination to create a top-10 global telecom group.
Talks between India’s Reliance Communications and MTN, which are due to end on Tuesday, may be extended, it was reported on Tuesday.
Reliance Communications has only days to reach an agreement for a tie-up with MTN, but a face-off between the Ambani brothers could scupper a deal.
A fresh row between India’s warring billionaire Ambani brothers could delay, but not kill, a tie-up of Reliance Communications and South Africa’s MTN.
MTN said on Saturday it was still pursuing tie-up talks with Reliance Communications after a dispute erupted over who has the first right to buy the Indian cellular operator.
India’s Reliance Communications and MTN have agreed "broad contours" of a deal to create a global telecoms powerhouse but are still working out share swap details.
India’s Reliance Communications and MTN are negotiating the ratio for a share swap, the Economic Times said on Monday, aimed at creating a global top-10 telecoms firm.
India’s Reliance Communications and South Africa’s MTN have begun due diligence as they inch closer to creating a global top-10 telecoms firm, a source close to the development said.
South African cellular giant MTN could pick up to a 74% stake in India’s Reliance Communications in a share-swap deal being discussed between the companies, an official said on Friday. "The stock swap is an option being considered at the moment," a Reliance official said on condition of anonymity.
South African stocks remained lower at noon on Friday as the mining sector continued to take a pounding on weaker commodity prices. At 12.02pm, the all-share index was down 1,03%. Resources fell 2,15%, while the gold and platinum mining indices lost 1,37% and 0,65% respectively.
India’s Reliance Communications is prepared to pay a significant premium for control of South African mobile phone group MTN, the FT Alphaville website said on Thursday. MTN and Reliance said on Monday they were in exclusive talks after India’s biggest mobile phone operator Bharti Airtel broke off talks.
South African stocks were lower at midday on Tuesday, pressured by below-forecast gross domestic product (GDP) data, which showed that the quarterly economic growth rate slowed to 2,1%, traders said. At 12.02pm, the all-share index was down 0,71%. Resources fell 1,01%, while the gold- and platinum-mining indices were off 0,42% and 0,72% respectively.
Reliance Communications, India’s number two mobile operator, has entered into exclusive negotiations for a tie-up with the MTN Group, knocking its shares down 4%. Reliance was quick to fill a void left after its bigger domestic rival, Bharti Airtel, pulled out of talks at the weekend aimed at taking control of MTN.