Czech group eyes stake sale in Pojistovna - paper

...of a minority stake in the biggest Czech insurer Ceska Pojistovna, a newspaper reported on Wedneday.

The business daily Hospodarske Noviny quoted two unspecified high-ranking PPF officials as saying that PPF aimed to retain majority control over unlisted Ceska Pojistovna, its biggest asset in the Czech Republic, after any stake sale.

Asked to comment on the report, a PPF spokeswoman said: "We have always been saying that we are considering various strategic options of Ceska Pojistovna's future development."

The newspaper reported, without quoting any source, that France's AXA , Europe's No. 2 insurer, was expected to be the most serious bidder.

Dutch financial services group ING , Belgian banking and insurance group KBC and German insurer Allianz were also expected to be interested, the daily said.