INTERNET BUSINESS NEWS-(C)1995-2011 M2 COMMUNICATIONS
16 December 2011 - Chinese Internet group Alibaba (HKG:1688) is reportedly exploring the option of drawing a loan from a team of international lenders including Credit Suisse (VTX:CSGN), DBS Bank, Deutsche Bank (ETR:DBK) and Mizuho Corporate Bank, Bloomberg said today, citing three insiders.
According to one of the people, the financing could total some USD4bn (EUR3bn).
The company, however, is yet to take a decision on the final group of lenders, the insiders said.
In early December, three other sources told Bloomberg that Alibaba and Japanese telecom and Internet company Softbank Corp (TYO:9984) were weighing up takeover options concerning US biggest Internet portal Yahoo! (NASDAQ:YHOO). The insiders said at that time that Alibaba might be keen on buying back its 40% stake from Yahoo!, while Softbank could decide to purchase the US company's 35% stake in Yahoo Japan (TYO:4689).
