Strong interest expected for AIA’s 30 pct stake

State sell-off fund TAIPED is expecting very strong investor interest in the sale of a 30 percent stake in Athens International Airport.

More than five bidders are seen tabling non-binding offers by next Tuesday's deadline, with market sources speaking of as many as eight suitors, although nothing can be taken for granted yet.

Among the groups viewed as the main suitors are Canadian-owned AviAlliance, which already controls 40 percent of AIA (as well as its management), and the Australian investment fund Macquarie Capital, which is considered one of the world's leading investors in infrastructure.

Macquarie's interest - considered to be strong too - is generating particularly competitive conditions for the process and is likely to lead the tender to a higher price.

In the past there had been interest from three Chinese-owned groups, which may participate...