sumitomo mitsui financial group inc smfg said thursday it will increase its ownership stake in investment bank jefferies financial group inc jef to 15 from 45 as part of a planned expansion of the corporate and investment banking relationship that the two firms inked in 2021 sumitomo’s 225 billion investment in jefferies from 2021 is now valued at about 34 billion smbc and jefferies will seek shareholder approval of jefferies shareholders for a new class of nonvoting common shares to boost its ownership position in jefferies through direct and indirect openmarket purchases of jefferies’ common stock which