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Spain's Criteria in talks with potential financier in energy group Naturgy

Spanish holding automobile Requirements remains in discussions with an investor group that has been speaking with some of Spanish energy supplier Naturgy's. core shareholders over a possible collaboration contract,. Requirements said on Tuesday.

Earlier, newspaper Cinco Dias mentioned unidentified market. sources as stating that Abu Dhabi's TAQA was in conversation with. Naturgy's 3 biggest investors, consisting of. Criteria, over a possible takeover.

Requirements stated it was not part of the talks in between the third. party and other Naturgy shareholders, and might not supply any. info in this respect. The discussions with an investor,. which it did not identify, were at a preliminary phase and it. is not possible to forecast the result, it stated.

Naturgy shares were up around 7% in early morning sell Madrid,. while the wider market was down 1.4%.

According to Cinco Dias, the negotiations, involving TAQA,. Criteria and private equity mutual fund CVC and GIP,. started over a month earlier with the understanding of the Spanish. federal government.

Requirements, which is the primary shareholder in lender Caixabank. , owns a 26.7% stake in Naturgy. GIP and CVC each own. around 20%.

ADPower, an unit of Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund ADQ, owns. simply over 90% of TAQA.

Naturgy declined to comment. TAQA did not right away. respond to an emailed ask for remark. CVC decreased to. comment and GIP had no instantly action.

TAQA would have to if the newspaper report is correct. launch a complete takeover quote for the entire business, as Spanish. When a buyer wants, legislation requires a compulsory tender offer. to get more than 30% of any publicly traded company.

Criteria CEO Angel Simon told a business occasion in Madrid on. Monday the business aimed to reinforce (its) presence in. tactical Spanish companies in the water, energy and banking. sectors.

A 40% stake in Naturgy, which has a market value of 20.2. billion euros ($ 21.42 billion), according to LSEG data, deserves. slightly more than 8 billion euros.

This is a crucial business in the Spanish energy system and we. want stability and commitment to decarbonisation and energy. security, a representative for Spain's Energy Ministry said,. decreasing to elaborate.

The Economy Ministry declined to comment.

Cinco Dias said its sources presumed that certain conditions. would be troubled TAQA in exchange for the Spanish. government's approval of any deal.

Naturgy's main strategic properties are its gas agreements with. Algeria, the report included.