UK PRESS: Prudential’s shares have fallen almost 20% since it agreed
a $35.5 bln takeover of the AIG’s Asian life business, raising concerns
about the UK insurer’s ability to close the deal, the Financial Times
reports. Hedge funds betting against the stock were blamed by some in
the market for the drop in the shares, while others said investors were
growing increasingly nervous about the stock and currency market risks
over the next two months. The deal to buy AIA, which was hammered out
last week and announced on Monday, would more than double the size of
the Pru and transform it into a company dominated by its Asian
businesses, the report says.