CSOB, which bought the assets and liabilities of IPB 10 days ago, is offering a majority stake in IPS; the minimum required price was reported as CZK 268 per share. The shares of IPS were used as collateral against the loan IPB made to Stredoevropska stavebni for the purchase of IPS in February. Later in the day, Skanska, the Swedish construction company, announced that it would bid for the stake (56.3% of IPS shares). Skanska also said that it would offer to buy out other IPS shareholders (if its bid is successful). No other details were announced yesterday.
(Ladislav Kovář)