Global Capital Markets

Norilsk Nickel, the Russian mining group, could see a buy-back attempt by the Russian government within two years, a report in The Times said. The report cited senior bankers in Moscow for the claim. Sources cited by the item said a leveraged buyout headed by Alrosa, the state-owned diamond-mining group, is one option under consideration. The head of investment banking at one Moscow bank was quoted in the item as saying that Alrosa’s senior executives are mulling buying Norilsk. Norilsk and Alrosa denied the claims, the report said. Norilsk is owned by Vladimir Potanin and Mikhail Prokhorov, the Russian businessmen, the item added.
Deutsche Bank UFG chief executive Charles Ryan said he doubted that the Russian government would try to force a sale. Ryan added that Norilsk is being broken up into two units, the nickel operations and Polyus, the gold company. Potanin might look at focusing on Polyus, Ryan said in the report.
The item did not give any financial information for Norilsk. The company is listed in the US, and has a market capitalization of EUR 13.61bn.

Source The Times
Value EUR 13,615m (Norilsk Nickel market capitalisation)