China's Geely buying $9 billion stake in Daimler - Bloomberg

Reuters
FILE PHOTO - A general view of the headquarters of Zhejiang Geely Holding Group in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province March 29, 2010. Zhejiang Geely Holding Group. REUTERS/Steven Shi

(Reuters) - China's Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co is buying a stake worth about 7.5 billion euros (6.61 billion pounds)in Daimler AG (DAIGn.DE) to become the largest investor in the German automaker, Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with the matter.

Hangzhou-based Zhejiang Geely has been building up a stake of just under 10 percent through purchases of Daimler's shares in the stock market in recent weeks, according to the report on Friday.

The Chinese automaker could announce the transaction in coming days, Bloomberg reported.

Zhejiang Geely owns Volvo, as well as the maker of London's black cabs and last year acquired a 49.9 percent stake in Malaysian automaker Proton.

Following the potential deal, Zhejiang Geely would surpass Kuwait Investment Authority, as Daimler's top shareholder.

Kuwait's sovereign wealth fund owned about 6.8 percent of Daimler's shares as Sept. 30, according to Thomson Reuters data.

Daimler declined to comment while Zhejiang Geely did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

(Reporting by Ankit Ajmera in Bengaluru; Editing by Shounak Dasgupta)