Three Iberian banks have announced interest in buying the healthy assets salvaged from the ruins of Portugal’s Banco Espirito Santo, but analysts think US and Chinese investors could still enter the race before the deadline for submissions expires on Wednesday.
Portugal's Banco BPI and Banco Santander of Spain have publicly acknowledged formalising an interest in Novo Banco, the so-called good bank created from a €4.9bn bailout of BES in August. Spain’s Banco Popular on Tuesday was also reported to have registered an interest.
Analysts say Apollo Global Management, the US private equity fund manager that agreed to buy Espírito Santo group's insurance arm in September, and Fosun, China’s largest privately-held conglomerate, could also enter the running.