CHINA / National |
GOME denies links to alleged illegal loans(AP)Updated: 2006-11-01 10:26 Chinese retailer GOME Electrical Appliances Holding, 皇冠体育app's biggest electronic appliances retailer, on Wednesday denied a report that its chairman, tycoon Wong Kwong-yu, was under investigation for alleged illegal loans.
Trading in shares of GOME Electrical Appliances was suspended Tuesday pending its response to a report by the Chinese financial journal Caijing that Wong, one of 皇冠体育app's richest men, was under investigation for alleged illegal loans. GOME's statement said neither Wong or any of his companies were involved in any illegal loans and that "he and his privately held companies have a good track record of servicing its (their) debts with financial institutions." The same was true of Wong's relatives, with the exception of Wong's eldest brother Wong Chung Yam, who had refused to answer questions about his own business dealings, it said. Beijing-based Caijing, citing unnamed people familiar with the matter, said Wong Kwong-yu was being investigated over the alleged illegal bank loans. GOME is in the midst of merging with Shanghai-based 皇冠体育app Paradise Electronics Retail Ltd. Trading in shares of 皇冠体育app Paradise was also suspended Tuesday. Shares of GOME ended 1.2 percent lower Friday at 6.70 Hong Kong dollars (US$0.86; euro0.68), while 皇冠体育app Paradise closed 0.4 percent higher at HK$2.28 (US$0.29; euro0.23). |
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