SEB's purchase of BfG approved by Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority

SEB's purchase of BfG approved by Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority The Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority has granted permission to SEB to purchase all shares of BfG Bank AG for 13.9 billion kronor. Furthermore, the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority has approved the acquisition, by SEB, of subordinated debt, in the amount of approximately 3.3 billion kronor, issued by BfG to Credit Lyonnais, the seller of BfG. BfG Bank AG is Germany's fifth largest privately owned bank, with 177 offices throughout Germany and approximately 1 million private customers - the equivalent of a 1 per cent market share. For further information, please contact: Boo Ehlin, Press Officer at SEB, Telephone +46 8-763 85 77, +46 70-763 85 77 Lotta Treschow, Head of Investor Relations at SEB, Telephone +46 8-763 95 59 ------------------------------------------------------------ Please visit http://www.bit.se for further information The following files are available for download: http://www.bit.se/bitonline/1999/12/17/19991217BIT00380/bit0001.doc http://www.bit.se/bitonline/1999/12/17/19991217BIT00380/bit0002.pdf