BELL GROUP CONFIRMS STANDARD CHARTERED STAKE
The Bell Group Ltd <BLLA.S> said it now
holds 14.9 pct of the issued capital of Standard Chartered Plc
<STCH.L> after acquiring further shares.
    The one-sentence statement from Bell's headquarters
confirmed what its brokers Warburg Securities told Reuters in
London yesterday.
    Bell previously held 10 pct of Standard.
    Bell chairman Robert Holmes a Court, who is also a director
of Standard, was not available for comment on his company's
intentions in boosting its holding and other company officials
contacted here by Reuters declined to comment.
 REUTER
