KUALA LUMPUR, April 3 — Alliance Investment Bank Bhd (AIBB) has signed a conditional share sale and purchase agreement with Hwang-DBS (M) Bhd (HDBS) to buy its 51 per cent equity interest in HwangDBS Vickers Research Sdn Bhd (HDBSV) for RM393,945.

AIBB is a wholly owned unit of Alliance Bank Malaysia Bhd (ABMB), which in turn is a wholly owned subsidiary of Alliance Financial Group Bhd (AFG).

AFG said the acquisition would enhance the group’s research capabilities and its institutional broking business by leveraging on DBS Vickers Securities Holdings Pte Ltd’s network of overseas clients to execute their trades on Bursa Malaysia via AIBB.

This would further expand the group’s investment banking business, especially the stockbroking institutional business.

“In addition to providing coverage on Malaysian equities, the group will be able to leverage on the capabilities of HDBSV to provide coverage on the regional equities for its institutional clients,” AFG said in a filing to Bursa Malaysia today.

AFG said the acquisition was expected to be completed in the second quarter of this year.

“Upon completion of the acquisition, the entire business and operations of Alliance Research Sdn Bhd, a wholly owned unit of AIBB, will be transferred to and integrated into HDBSV.

“The equities research business of the group will be operated under HDBSV on a 51:49 joint-venture basis with DBS Vickers, to be renamed AllianceDBS Research Sdn Bhd,” it said.

The acquisition was not expected to have any material effect on the net assets per share, earnings per share and gearing of AFG for the financial year ending March 31, 2015, it said.

The principal activity of HDBSV is to carry out research and stock analysis for and on behalf of the shareholders and its related parties. — Bernama