IDB Holding Corp. Ltd. (TASE:IDBH), controlled by chairman and CEO Nochi Dankner, has cancelled its acquisition of cement company Hanson Israel Ltd.. The acquisition was to have been made through IDB unit Clal Industries and Investments Ltd. (TASE: CII) subsidiary Mashav Initiative and Development Ltd., which owns 75% of Nesher Israel Cement Enterprises Ltd.
Clal Industries will pay Hanson Israel owner, Germany's Heidelberg Cement AG (XETRA: HEI) NIS 22.5 million - 5% of the NIS 450 million acquisition price - in compensation.
Clal Industries added that Mashav and Hanson have also withdrawn their merger application to the Antitrust Authority.
The Antitrust Authority opposed the acquisition of Hanson and its merger with Mashav on the grounds that it would harm competition in the cement industry, where Nesher is defined as a monopoly.
Clal Industries' share fell 1% today to NIS 23.55, giving a market cap of NIS 3.744 billion.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on December 28, 2009
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