German online broker eyes First-e

Big boy girds its loins for buyout battles...

By Ian Jones, 5 September 2001 07:19

NEWS Direkt Anlage Bank - Europe's third biggest internet stockbroker - is preparing to snap up several smaller rivals across Europe, including Ireland's First-e. If the deals go ahead, industry watchers claim it will spark even further consolidation in the online broker sector. Direkt Anlage is rumoured to be about to buy loss-making French company Fimatex, as well as Irish internet banking specialist First-e. According to the Financial Times, First-e owner, Enba, is believed to have been looking for a buyer since a deal with Banco Bilbao fell through last April. Fimatex owner Societe Generale of Paris is also known to be keen to find a buyer.

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